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Scieices 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STFIEET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(71*)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  fc  Historical  Microreproductions  /Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Tachnical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibiiographiquaa 


Tha  instituta  has  anamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturos  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographicaiiy  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  ot  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I     I    Covars  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagia 

Covars  /astorad  and/or  Isminatad/ 
Couvartura  rastaurte  at/ou  palliculAa 


I      I    Covar  titia  missing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


ryr  Colourad  maps/ 


Cartas  gtegraphiquas  an  coulaur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autre  qua  blaue  ou  noire) 

r~~/  Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
b^    Planches  et/ou  illustrationa  en  couleur 

I      I    Bound  with  other  material/ 


n 


n 


D 


Relii  avec  d'autrea  documents 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liura  ^errie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  intArieura 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  tha  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainas  pages  blanches  ajoutias 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  taxte, 
mais,  lorsqua  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmias. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairas  suppi^mantaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  iui  a  it*  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographiqua,  qui  peuvert  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  axigar  una 
modification  dnns  la  m«thode  normala  de  filmaga 
sont  indiqute  ci-daasous. 


D 

D 
D 


D 
D 
D 
D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pagea  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurtes  at/ou  pellicuiies 

Pagea  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolories,  tacheties  ou  piquAes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  inigala  da  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  matiirial/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppi^mentaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  tha  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pages  totalement  ou  partiaiiemant 
obscurcias  par  un  fauillet  d'errata,  una  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  it6  filmies  A  nouveau  de  facon  A 
obtanir  la  marlleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 
Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 
WX  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


12X 


30X 


y 


isy 


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The  copy  filmed  here  hee  been  reproduced  thenka 
to  the  generoeity  of: 

Library  of  the  Pubiic 
Archives  of  Canada 

The  imagea  cppeering  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  ore  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ►  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  Y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
envii-aiy  included  in  one  e»posure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reprodult  grice  A  la 
g^nArositA  de: 

La  bibiiothdque  des  Archives 
pubiiques  du  Canada 

Las  images  suivantes  ont  AtA  roproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  cumpte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettetA  de  rexemplaire  film*,  et  on 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmege. 

Lea  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
pepier  est  imprimAe  sont  filmfo  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminent  soit  par  :a 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  fiimAs  en  commen^ant  pi\^  la 
premlAre  page  qui  comporte  una  empreinte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminent  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernlAre  imege  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
ces:  le  symbols  —^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE"  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  rAduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atta 
reprodult  en  un  seul  clichA,  11  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  drolte, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
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PERFORMED  AS  A  MEMBER  OF  THE  EXPEDITION  UNDER 
GOVERNOR  CASS. 


1^' 


JiAT  TOE  TEAR  182 


Bi  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT, 

Member  of  the  New-York  Hlitorieal  Society,  of  the  Aeaiemy  of  Katarel  Seienan  tt 

Philadelphia,  of  th«  New- York  Lyceum  of  Natural  Hktory,  and  of  the 

Lyceum  of  Natural  Hbtwjr  of  Trof. 


xHUEuwass  ynrm  a  x&v  anb  sicist  consa  wttrn.  noiuTtiras. 


ALBANY; 
PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BT  B.  &  E.  ROSFORO^ 

MO.  100,  STATZ-STRUr. 
••••* >••.• 

1821. 


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KQBTHEEN  DISTUICTO*  HEW-TOHK,  T»  »H»  « 

SB  IT  REMBMBERED.  that  on  tiie  tJKrfieA  «l«jof  J»nii»ryt  .•»  •'•*  Jj'?' 
«.r  of  the  IndepcodOMe  of  the  United  SiBtet  of  Ameijea,  A.  D.  18«I,  fc. 
-  -       h  K  {SrfM  rftbe^SSDiSriS,  li«»e  depurited  in  this  offle.  the  UUe  of  .Book, 

SMnh^vnih  the  imM  chfia  of  Aakcrieaa  Uka  «» tke  mmucm  of  the  Mit^ppi  »mr. 
^MeT^rm^hwer  theoTpcditioD  under  Ootmor  C«a,  ta  thej^J  1#»0.  BylteDiw 

SdMeS^fphk^dSS!  «y  theNMr^orklyoe«m  of  H.tar«l  ktatory,  end  of  tfie  Lj^eum  of 


SdlfirvSS^MDptoSSiT  to^  net  entWed  "Anaetfar  the«»urj«n«ntof  lewn- 
Sltt,f3SU>ZW»TlpK»*Bj|to«  hUtodcUMd  ««*«'^;S5li"RnK.  LANSING, 


Td  THE 


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HOW.  JOHJf  C.  CALHOUW, 

SECRETARY  AT  WAR. 

SIR, 

Allow  nie  to  inscribe  to  you  the  following  Jour- 
nal, as  an  illustration  of  my  several  reports,  on  the 
mineralogy  of  the  regions  visited  by  the  recent  ex- 
pedition, under  Gov.  Casa. 

I  beg  you  will  consider  it,  not  only  as  a  proof  of 
my  anxiety  to  be  serviceable  in  the  station  occupied, 
but  also,  as  a  tribute  of  individual  regard,  for  those 
exertions  which  have  been  made,  during  your  admi- 
nistration of  the  War  Department,  to  develope  the 
physical  character  and  resources  of  all  parts  of  our 
country,— to  i  .e  patronage  it  has  extended  to  the 
cause  of  science,--to  the  protection  it  has  afforded 
to  a  very  extensive  line  of  frontier  settlements,  by 
stretching  our  cordon  of  military  posts,  through  the 
territories  of  the  most  remote  and  hostile  tribes  of 
savages,— and  particularly,  to  the  notice  it  has  be- 
stowed upon  one  of  the  humblest  cultivators  of  natu- 
ral science. 

HE;\RY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT. 


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#^TRODUCTORY  REMARKa 


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C/HARtivoii  inforiDB  ui,  that  the  discovory  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  is  due  to  Father  Joseph  Mar- 
quette, a  Jesuit  missionaij,  who  manifested  the  most 
unwearied  enterprise  in  exploring  the  northwestern 
regions  of  New  France;  and  after  laying  the  found- 
ation of  Michilimackinac,  proceeded,  in  company 
with  the  Sieur  Joliet,  up  the  Fox  river  of  Green 
Bay,  and  crossing  the  portage  into  the  Ousconsinir, 
first  entered  the  Mississippi,  in  1 673. 

Mons.  Robert  de  la  Salle,  to  whom  the  merit  of  this 
discovery  is  generally  attributed,  embarked  at  Ro- 
chelle,  on  bis  first  voyage  of  discovery,  July  14, 1678 
—reached  Quebec  in  September  following,  and  pro- 
ceeding up  the  St.  Lawrence,  laid  the  foundation  of 
Fort  Niagara,  in  the  country  of  the  Iroquois,  late  in 
the  %I1  of  that  year.    In  the  following  year,  he  pass- 
OS  up  the  Niagara  river-estimates  the  height  of  the 
falls,  at  six  hundred  feet-and  proceeding  through 
lakes  Erie,  St.  Clair,  and  Huron,  reaches  Michili- 
mackmac,  m  August.    He  then  visits  the  Sault  de  St 
Mane,  and  returning  to  MichiKmackinac,  continues 
his  voyage  to  the  south,  with  a  view  of  striking  the 
Mississippi  river-passes  into  the  lake  of  the  llli- 
noi8-.touches  at  Green  Bay-^d  enters  the  riv- 


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INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 


€r   St.  Joseph's,    of  Lake   Michigan,    where  he 
builds  a  fort  in  th6  country  of  the  Miamies.    In 
December,  of^fae^same  year,  he  crosses  the  portage 
between   the  St.   Joseph's    and  the  Illinois — de- 
scends the  latter  to  the  lake  ;  and  builds  a  fort '» 
the  midst  of  the  tribes  of  the  Illinois,  which  he  calls 
Crevecceur.    Here  he  makes  a  stand — sends  persons 
out  to  explore  the  Mississippi — traffics  ;vith  the  In- 
dians, among  all  of  whom  he  finds  abundance  of  In^ 
dian  corn ;  and  returns  to  Fort  Frontenac,  on  Lake 
Ontario,  in  1680.    He  revisits  fort  Crevecceur,  late 
in  the  autumn  of  the  following  year;  and  finally  de- 
scends the  Illinois,  to  its  junction  with  the  Mississip- 
pi, and  thence  to  the  embouchure  of  the  latter,  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  where  he  arrives  on  the  seventh  of 
Apnl,  1G83,  and  calculates  thb  latitude  between 
23"  and  21"  north.  -  The  Spaniards  had  previously 
sought  in  vain  for  the  mouth  of  this  stream,  and  be- 
stowed upon  it,  in  anticipation,  the  name  of  Del  Rio 
jiscondido.    La  Salle  now  returns  to  Quebec,  bv  the 
way  of  the  lakes,  and  from  tt^ence  to  France,  where 
he  is  well  received  by  the  king,  who  grants  him  an 
outfit  of  four  ships  and  two  hundred  men,  to  enable 
him  to  continue  his  discoveries,  a.jd  found  a  colony, 
ir.  the  newly  discovered  territories.    He  leaves  Ro- 
chelle,  in  July,  1684 — reachec  the  bay  of  St.  Louis, 
which  is  fifty  leagues  souih  of  the  Mississippi,  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  in  February  following,  where  he 
builds  a  fort — founds  a  settlement,  and  is  finally  aS' 
sassinaied  by  one  of  his  own  party.    The  exertions 
of  this  enterprising  individual,  and  the  account  v/hich 
was  published  of  his  discoveries  by  the  Chevalier 
Tonti,  who  had  accompanied  him  in  ail  his  perilous 
expeditions,  had  a  greater  effect,  in  the  French  ca- 


rr 


hVlRODUCTORY  REMARKS.  vH 

pital,  in  producing  a  correct  estimate  of  the  extent, 
productions,  and  importance,  of  the  Canadas,  ^han 
all  that  had  been  done  by  preceding  tourists;  and 
this  may  be  considered  as  the  true  era,  when  the 
ejesofpoliticians  and  divines,  merchants  and  spfe- 
culators,  were  first  strongly  turned  towaraa'  the 
boundless  forests,— the  sublime  rivers  and  lakes,— 
the  populous  Indian  tribes,  and  the  profitable  com- 
merce of  New  France. 

Father  Louis  Hennepin,  was  a  missionary  of  the 
Franciscan  order  of  Catholics,  who  accompanied  La 
Salle  on  his  first  voyage  from  France ;  and  after  the 
buboing  of  fort  Crevecosur,  on  the  Illinois,  was  des- 
patched in  company  with  three  French  voyageurs, 
to  explore  the  Mississippi  river.      They  departed 
irom  fort  Crevecoeur,  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  Febru- 
ary, 1780,  and  dropping  down  the  Illinois,  to  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Mississippi,  followed  the  latter  to  the 
Gulf,  where  they  left  some  memorial  of  their  visit, 
and  immediately  comuenced  their  return.    When 
they  had  proceeded  up  the  Mississippi,  a  hundred 
and  fifty  leagues  above  the  confluence  of  the  Illinois, 
they  were  taken  prisoners  by  some  Indian  tribes, 
and  carried  towards  its  sources,  nineteen  days' jour- 
ney, into  the  territories  of  the  Naudowessies  and 
Issati ;  where  they  were  detained  in  captivity  three 
or  four  months,  and  then  sufiered  to  return.    The 
account  which  Hennepin  published  of  his  travels 
and  discoveries,  served  to  throw  some  new  light  up- 
on the  topography,  and  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  Ca- 
nadas; and  modern  geography  is  indebted  to  him, 
ior  the  names  which  he  bestowed  upon  the  falls  of 
St.  Anthony,  and  the  river  St.  Francis. 


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INTROStfCTOnT  REMARKSi 


'i 


In  1 703,  the  Baron  La  Hontan  published  in  iMtt- 
don  his  voyages  to  North  America,  the  rcsuh  of  a 
residence  of  six  yeare  in  the  Canadas.    La  Hontan 
served  as  an  officer  in  the  French  army,  and  first 
went  oi?t  to  Quebec  in  1683.  During  the  succeeding 
four^years  he  was  chiefly  stationed  at  Chambly. 
Fort  Frontenac,  Niagara,  St.  Joseph  at  the  foot  of 
Lake  Huron,  and  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie.    He  ar^ 
rives  at  Michilimackinac  in  1688,  and  there  first 
hears  of  the  assassination  of  La  Salle.  In  1689,  he  vis- 
its Green  Bay,  and  passes  through  the  Fox  and  Ous- 
consing  rivers  into  the  Mississippi.  So  far,  his  work 
appears  to  be  the  result  of  actual  observation,  and 
is  entitled  to  respect;  but  what  he  relates  of  Long 
River,  appears  wholly  incredible,  and  can  only  be 
regarded  as  some  flight  of  the  imagination,  intend- 
ed to  gratify  the  'jiublic  taste  for  travels,  during  arv 
age  when  it  had  been  highly  excited  by  the  extra- 
vagant accounts  wliich  had  been  published  respect-^ 
ing  the  wealth,  population,  and  advantages  of  Peru, 
Mexico,  the    English   and    Dutch   colonies.  New 
France,  the  Illinois,  and  various  other  parts  of  the 
New  World.    To  convey  seme  idea  of  this  part  of 
the  Baron's  work,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  observe, 
that  after  travelling  ten  days  above  the  mouth  of 
the  Ousconsing,  he  arrives  at  the  mouth  of  a  large 
stream   which  he    calls    Long  River,  and    which 
he  ascends    eighty-four    days    successively,  during 
which  he  meets  with  numerous  tribes  of  savages,  as 
the  Eskoros,  Essanapes,  Pinnokas,  Mozemleeks,  &c. 
He  is  attended  a  part  of  the  way  by  five  or  six 
hundred  savages  as  an  escort— sees  at  one  time,  two 
thousand  savages  upon  the  shore — and  states  the 
population  of  the  Essanapes,  at  20,000  souls ;  but 


INTRODUCTORY   REMARJLS.  jj 

this  tribe  is  still  inferior  to  the  Mozemleeks  in  num- 
bers, in  arts,  and  in  every  other  prerequisite  for  a 
great  people.    "  The  Mozemleek  nation,"  he  ob- 
serves, « is  numerous  and  puissant.    The  four  slaves 
of  that  country  informed  me,  that  at  the  distance  of 
150  leagues  from  the  place  where  I  then  was,  their 
principal  river  empties  itself  into  a  salt  lake  of  three 
hundred  leagues  in  circumference-the  mouth  of 
Lrt'tl  r-'  '''r^^^Sues  broad;  that  the  lowe. 
part  of  that  river  is  adorned  with  six  noble  cities 
surrounded  with  stone,  cemented  with  fa    earth 
that  the  houses  of  these  cities  have  no  roofs,  but  are* 
open  above  like  a  platform;  that  besides  the  above 
mentioned  cities,  there  are  an  hundred  towns  great 
and  sma,  round  that  sort  of  sea;  that  the  people "f 
that  country  make  stuffs,  copper  axes,  and  several 
other  manufactures,  &c.''  several 

in  1721,  P.  De  Charlevoix,  the  historian  of  New 
France,  was  commissioned  by  the  Frenrh  r* 
njent  to  .ake  ,  tour  of  obsivatiLXtugh '^^^^^ 
Canadas ;  and  in  addition  to  his  topograpS  and 
historical  account  of  New  Fr^^nrl  ui  u  . 
iourna.  of  hi.  vo,a,e  thZgh'r  1^  He  1: 
one  of  the  most  learned  divines  of  h;«  .      "®/^f 

r«th«i:«     •    •  "  *"®  over-zealous  eve  of  a 

rale  deCl?    "d?' ^l^'^^''  "'o"^'  '^  »cc„. 

H.heat.nE„r.:;eSt:i 


X.  INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

first  landed  at  Quebec  in  the  spring  of  1721,  and 
immediately  proceeded  up  the  St.  Lawrence  to 
Fort  Frontenac  and  Niagara,  where  he  corrects  the 
error  in  which  those  who  preceded  him  had  fallen, 
with  respect  to  the  height  of  the  cataract.  He  pro- 
ceeds through  lakes  £rie,  Hurori,  and  Michigan, 
descends  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  to  New  Or- 
leans, then  recently  settled,  and  embarks  for 
France.  The  period  of  his  visit,  was  that,  when  the 
Mississippi  Scheme  was  in  the  height  of  experiment, 
and  excited  the  liveliest  interest  in  the  French  me- 
tropolis ;  people  were  then  engaged  in  Louisiana  in 
exploring  every  part  of  the  country,  under  the  de- 
lusive hope  of  linding  rich  mines  of  gold  and  sil- 
ver; and  the  remarks  he  makes  upon  the  probability 
of  a  failure,  were  shortly  justified  by  the  event. 


\< ) 


It ' 


fn  1760,  Alexander  Henry,  Esq.  visited  the  upper 
lakes  in  the  character  of  a  trader,  and  devoted  six- 
teen years  in  travelling  over  different  parts  of  the 
northwestern  region  of  the  Canadas  and  the  United 
States.  The  result  of  his  observations  upon  the 
topography,  Indian  tribes,  and  natural  history  of 
the  country,  was  first  published  in  1809,  in  a  volume 
of  travels  and  adventures,  which  is  a  valuable  ac- 
quisition to  our  means  of  information.  His  work 
abounds  in  just  and  sensible  reflections,  upon 
scenes,  situations,  and  objects  of  the  most  interest- 
ing kind;  and  is  written  in  a  style  of  the  most 
charming  perspicuity  and  simplicity.  He  was  tlie 
first  English  traveller  of  the  region. 

The  date  of  Carver's  travels  over  those  regions, 
is  1766.    Carver  was  descended  from  an  ancient  and 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 


SI 


Mspectable  English  family  in  Connecticut,  and  had 
served  as  a  captain  in  the  provincial  army  which 
was  disbanded  after  the  treaty  of  peace  of  Ver- 
sailles, of  1763;   and  united  to  great  personal  cour- 
age, a  persevering  and  observing  mind.      By  his 
bravery  and  admirable  conduct  among  the  powerful 
tribes   of  Sioux  and  Chippeways,  he  obtained  a 
high  standing  among  them ;   and  after  being  consti- 
tuted a  chief  by  the  former,  received  from  them 
|;  large  grant  of  land,  which  was  not,  however,  rati- 
fied by  the  British  government     The  fate  of  this 
enterprising  traveller,  cannot  but  excite  regret- 
After  having  escaped  the  massacre  of  Fort  William 
Henry,  on  the  banks  of  Lake  George,  in  1757,  and 
the  perils  of  a  long  journey  through  the  American 
wilderne&s,  he  was  spared  to  endure  miseries  in  the 
heart  of  the  British  metropolis,  which  he  had  never 
encountered  in  the  huts  of  the  American  savages; 
and  perished  for  want,  in  the  city  of  London,  *the 
seatof  literature  and  opulence. 

Between  the  years  1769  and  1772,  Samuel 
Hearne  performed  a  journey  from  Prince  of  Wales's 
fort  in  Hudson's  bay,  to  the  copper  mine  river  of  the 
arctic  ocean. 

McKenzie's  voyages  to  the  Frozen  and  Pacific 
Oceans,  were  performed  in  1789  and  1793. 

Pike  ascended  the  Mississippi  in  1805,  and  1806. 

Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  progress  of  disco- 
very in  the  northwestern  regions  of  the  United 
States,  by  which  our  sources  of  information  have 


Xll 


liNTkODOCTORT  REMAItKS* 


r  / 


been  iroin  time  to  time  augmented,  and  additiomd 
light  cast  upon  the  interesting  history  of  our  Indian 
tribes,  their  numbers,  manners,  customs,  trade,  reli*- 
gion,  condition  with  respect  to  comfortit,  and  other 
particulars  connected  with  the  regions  they  inhabit 
Still,  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  amidst  much  sound  and 
useful  information,  there  has  been  mingled  no  incon- 
siderable proportion,  that  is  deceptive,  hypothetical, 
or  false ;    and  upon  the  w  hole,  that  the  progress  of 
information  has  not  kept  pace  with  the  increased  in^ 
portance  which  that  section  of  the  union  has  latter- 
ly assumed— -with  the  great  improvements  of  socie* 
ty-— and  with  the  spirit  and   the  enterprize  of  the 
times.    A  new  era  has  dawned  in  the  moral  history 
of  our  country,  and  no  lf)nger  satisfied  with  mere 
geographical  outlines  and  boundaries,  its  physical 
productions,  its  sltitiquities,  and  the  'numerous  othep 
traits  which  it  presents  for  scientific  research,  al- 
ready attract  the  attention  of  a  great  proportion  of 
the  reading  community ;    and  it  is  eagerly  enquired 
of  various  sections  of  it,  whose  trade,  whose  agri- 
culture,   and   whose    population,  have  been  long 
known,  what  are  its  indigenous  plants,  its  zoologj^ 
its  geology,  its  mineralogy,  ^c.      Of  no'part  of  it, 
however,  has  the  paucity  of  information  upon  these, 
and  upon  other  and  more  familiar  subjects,  been  so 
great,  as  of  the  extreme  northwestern  regions  of  the 
union-^^thegreat  chain  of  lakes— and  of  the  sources 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  which  have  'continued  to  be 
the  subject  of  dispute  between  geographical  writers. 

Impressed  with  the  importance  of  these  facts, 
Governor  Cass,  of  Michigan,  projected,  in  the  fall 
of  1819,  an  expedition  for  exploring  the  regions  in 
question ;  and  presented  a  memorisil  to  the  Secreta. 


IlfTRODUCTORY   RBMABK8. 


XIU 


rjr  at  War  upon  the  subject,  in  which  he  proposed 
leaving  Detroit  in  the  ensuing  spring,  in  two  Indian 
canoes,  as  being  best  adapted  to  the  navigation  ofkkt 
shallow  waters  of  the  u^per  country,  and  to  ihe  nu*- 
inerous  portages  which  it  is  necessary  to  make  from 
stream  to  stream. 

t 

The  specific  objects  of  this  journey,  were  to  ob- 
tain a  more  correct  knowledge  of  the  name»,  num- 
bers, customs,  history,  condition,  mode  of  subsist- 
ence, and  dispositions  of  the  Indian  tribes— to  sur- 
vey the  topography  of  the  country,  and  collect  the 
materials  for  an  accurate  map — to  locate  the  site  of 
a  garrison  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior,  and  to  pur^ 
(Bhase  the  ground— to  investigate  the  subject  of  the 
ttbrthwestern  copper  mines,  Fead  mines,  and  gypsum 
quarries,  and  to  purchase  from  the  Indian   tribes 
such  tracts  as  might  be  necessary  to  secure  to  the 
United  States  the  ultimate  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  them,  &c.     To  accomplish  these  objects,  it 
was  proposed  to  attach  to  the  expedition  a  topo- 
graphical engineer,  a  physician,  and  a  person  ac- 
quainted with  mineralogy. 

Mr.  Calhoun,  not  only  approved  of  the  proposed 
plan,  but  determined  to  enable  the  Governor  to  car- 
ry it  into  complete  effect,  by  ordering  an  escort  of 
soldiers,  and  enjoining  it  upon  the  commandants  of 
the  frontier  garrisons,  to  furnish  every  aid  that  the 
exigencies  of  the  party  might  require,  either  in  men, 
boats,  or  supplies.  It  is  only  necessary  to  add,  that 
I  was  honoured  with  the  appointment  of  mineralo- 
gist to  the  expedition,  in  which  capacity,  I  kept  the 


''^i 


lir 


IRTRODVCTORT  REMARKS. 


following  Journal.*  In  presenting  it  to  the  public, 
it  will  not  be  deemed  improper  if  I  acknowledge  the 
obligations  which  1  have  incurred  in  transcribing  it, 
by  availing  myself  of  a  free  access  to  the  valuable 
Library  of  His  Excellency  De  Witt  Clinton;  and 
of  the  taste  and  skill  of  Mr.  Henry  Inman,  in  drawing 
a  number  of  the  views  which  embellish  the  work. 

HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT. 
Jlbmy^  Maif  Id/A,  1821. 

•  I  have  received  enquiries  from  aeveral  individuals,  grounded 
on  the  supposition  that  wj  Journal  would  contain  aU  the  topo* 
graphical  information,  collected  on  the  expedition.  It  may  be 
proper  to  observe,  that  it  only  embracea  my  individual  observa. 
tions  upon  that,  and  the  other  subjects  brought  into  view ;  and  that 
another  work  may  be  expected,  containing  Professor  Douglaa,'^ 
Topographical  Report  and  Map,  together  with  the  other  Reports, 
and  the  scientific  obsoRvations  of  the  expedition  generally. 


I 


"1 


.:A' 


CONTENTS. 


■-** 


» 


CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 

CHAP. 
CHAP, 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 
CHAP. 


I.— Prelimiiury  Tour  frofh  the  City  of  Nmr-Yoric  to  Detioh,  17 

IL—Journejr  from  Detroit  to  Micliilimackinae,      •        .        .  66 

III.— Six  Day's  retidcnce  at  Mielulimackinac,            .       .  no 

rv.— Journey  from  Michilimackinac  to  the  Sault  de  8t  Marie,  125 

v.— Journey  from  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie  to  theOntonagim  tmr,  141 
VI — Visit  to  the  Copper  Mines,    .        .       .       .       .       .171 

vn.-.Joumqrftom  the  Ontonagon  river  to  the  Fond  du  Lac,  189 

Vm — Journey  irom  the  Fond  du  Lac  to  Sandy  Lake    .       .  306 

IX.— Journey  fiumSaddy  Lake  to  theSou(ces  of  the  Mississippi,  338 
X.— Journey  from  Sandy  Lake  to  the  American  Garrison  at 

St.Peter»s. ^69 

XI.— Journey  from  St  Peter's  to  Prairie  du  Chien,       .        .  31s 

XII.— Visit  tc  the  Lead  Mines  of  Dubuque,       ...  340 

XIU.— Journey  from  Prairie  du  Chien  to  Gieen  Bay,      «       .  358 

ZIV.— Journey  from  Green  Bay  to  Chicago,       .       .        .  379 

XV.— Journey  from  Chicago  to  Mkhilimackinac,          .        .  388 

XVI.— Return  to  Detroit, 408 


,4.^ 


# 


THE  PLATES. 


PLATE  I— The  Doric  Rock  on  Lake  Superior,  (vignette  on  titte  page,) 

Description  of  this  view, |^ 

PLATE  n.— Indian  Caooe,  and  Manu&etUNi,       .       ,       ,       .         6g 

PLATE  m.— Sault  de  St  Marie, '  .    '  .    131 

JPLATE  IV.— Geological  View  of  Bock  Formations  on  Lake  Superior,  153 
PLATE  v.— Pictured  Rocks  on  Lake  Superior,  .  .  .  .  159 
PLATE  VI.— Copper  Rock  on  the  Ontonagon  river,  .  ,  .177 
PLATE  vn.—PalU  of  St  Anthony,    ....  339 

PLATE  VnL-Fungitei  .       .     \       .        .       .*.'.*    393 

C»8sin»Lake,{ontheIH«>,)De8cripUoD,       •       .      ,       .  851 


ii-^v^s^.i' 


w 


jfo 


NARRATIVE  JOURNAL 


Of 


«»OPOH  m  KO»TinrBSTMK  HKOIONt  OV  TIM  TOITW)  gTATK^ 


CHAPTER  I. 

fSElIMIJVMtr  TOUR,  FROM  TBE  CITT  OF  J^W-TOSk 
TO  BETROJT. 


The  determination  of  limiting  the  operations  of  the 
expedition  to  the  arctic  regions  of  the  United  States, 
and  thereby  putting  it  in  our  power  to  accomplish 
ttie journey  within  the  current  year(I820) ;  and  the 
desire  of  visiting  the  most  remote  points  on  our  north- 
western  frontier  during  the  summer  season,  had  ren- 
dered an  early  departure  an  object  of  the  first  mo- 
ment.     But  the  mode  of  our  conveyance  (in  Indian 
canoes)  naturally  detained  us  until  the  brcakinff  up 
of  the  ice  in  the  lakes,  and  it  was  considered  ex- 
tremely  hazardous  to  undertake  the  navigation  until 
they  were  perfectly  clear  of  floating  ice.    This  point 
being  determined,  the  members  of  the  expedition, 
were  left  to  exercise  their  own  judgment  and  con. 
remence,  as  to  the  time  and  mode  of  proceeding  to 
the  place  of  embarkation,  Detroit.    A  time  not  ca- 
pableofbeing  designated  with  astronomical  preci- 
•lon,  but  dependant  wholly  upon  the  natural  distri- 
kutiott  of  atmospheric  heat,  shewed  the  necessity  ot 


m' 


I» 


IH-  ' 


ft  careful  attention  to  the  etate  of  the  weather,  and 
the  advance  of'spring.  The  year  commenced  with 
■outh  winds,  changing  to  the  southeast,  west,  and 
northwest,  and  attended  with  light  snows .•  The 
Delaware,  Susquehanna,  and  the  Hudson,  as  far  as 
West  Point,  were  frozen  hard  on  the  first  of  January. 
February  gave  a  week  of  pleasant  weather  at  the 
commencement,  which  was  succeeded  with  high 
winds  from  the  north,  and  northeast,  and  between 
the  tenth  and  eleventh,  there  was  a  Iieavy  fall  of  snow, 
BO  that  it  Iny  four  feet  deep  in  the  streets  of  New- 
York.  Tliis  gave  good  sleighing  for  two  wtekw, 
when  a  thaw  commenced,  and  the  last  days  oi  ihe 
month  were  milu  and  pleasant.  March  commenced 
with  unusual  mildness,  wilji  varying  and  occasionally 
Ibkistering  wind,  but  no  snow  was  to  be  been  on  the 
fourth  of  that  month,  and  an  opinion  was  entertained, 
that  the  Hudson  would  open  a  fortnight  before  ila 
usual  period.!  Every  appearance  indicated  an 
early  spring,  an  occurrence  which  xve  may,  in  our 

•  A  meteorologictal  register  kept  during  thia  month  In  New- 
York,  imlicated  an  average  heal  of  18°  at  7  A.  M.  28°  at  2  P.  M. 
and  16°  at  9  P.  M.  Out  of  the  month,  thirteen  days  were  mark- 
ed "  cloudy,"  and  eijrhteen  "  clear."  The  wind  blew  south  seven 
days,  southeast  six  days,  west  five  days,  north  four  days,  south- 
west three  days,  and  northwest  seven  days.  Snow  fell  on  the 
10th,  171h,  2l8t,  25th,  and  29th. 

t  In  the  year  1755,  noted  for  the  defeat  of  Gen,  Dieskau,  at 
Lake  George,  the  Hudson  opened  as  far  as  Albany  on  the  14th 
day  of  January,  and  the  following  yer.  ■:  ->nijn  on  the  14ih  of 

February,  so  timt  Gov.  Fletcher  sai'.d  >  .  '  w-Yorkf'  f.iat 
day  with  SCO  volunteers,  to  repel  an  i.  lij/  jn  nmde  by  the  French 
upon  the  Mohawks,  and  landed  at  Albany  two  days  afterwards. 
These  are  the  mildest  winters  of  which  any  record  has  been  pre- 
wrved.— Sf»i/A'«  ifMrc/ry  o/"]Veu>-rorJt. 


It 

climate,  (latitude  40«  to  44")  sometimes  expect,  an^ 
which  by  terminating  our  winter  with  the  month  of 
February,  adds  three  or  four  weeks  to  our  mildest 
and  most  delightful  season.     Under  this  impression, 
I  left  New- York  on  the  5th  of  March,  in  the  citizens' 
post  coach  for  Albany,  a  mode  of  conveyance  which 
only  exists  during  the  recess  of  the   running  of  the 
steam  boats  ;  and  which  by  combining  a  good  de- 
gree of  comfort  and  convenience,  compensates,  so 
far  as  land  stages  appear  capable  of  compensating, 
ior  the  wonderful  degree  of  celerity,  comfort,  and 
ease,  afforded  by  the  line  of  internal  steam  boat  na- 
vigation, that  connects  New-York  and  Albany,  nine 
months  in  the  year.^       Passing    through    fflngs- 
bridge,  Phillipsbourg,  Tarrytown,  Sing  Sing,  and 
Peekskill,  we  crossed  the  Highlands  of  the  Hudson 
during  the  evening,  and  lodged  at  Fishkill,  a  post 
town  of  Dutchess  county,  sijty-five  miles  from  New- 
York.     On  the  6th,  we  passed  Poughkeepsie,  Rhine- 
beck,  and  Hudson,  and  lodged  at  Kinderhook,  and 
reached  Albanyf  on  the  morning  of  the  7th.      The 
entire  distance  is  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  which 

•  The  invention  of  the  iteam  boat  it  .n  event  which  will 
long  render  the  year  1807  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  mechanical 
mvenuon.  It  was  during  this  year,  after  a  long  period  spent  in 
•xpenmenUonthe  application  of  the  steam  engine  in  propelline 
boats,  that  success  crowned  theefforts  of  Robert  Fulton  in  the  con- 
struction  of  the  first  steam  boat  called  the  North  River,  which 
performed  a  trip  from  New-York  to  Albany,  carrying  a  number  of 
passengers  to  witness  the  nautical  phenomenon  of  a  vessel  goine 
at  the  rale  of  seven  miles  against  wind  and  tide. 

Su  Coldm'sLi/e  of  Fulton, 

t  By  the  censns  of  1820,  Albany  has  a  population  of  12,541, 
fce«aSl7r9morethanithadinl8io.  '      * 


^ 


^e 


^: 


wc  accomplished  in  forty  hours  actual  travelling,  in- 
cluding detention  at  post-offices  and  taverns,  giving 
an  average  of  four  miles  per  hour.  This  is  about 
the  rate  of  travelling  in  the  Trekachuits  of  Holland,* 
and  upon  the  frozen  grrunds  in  Russia.! 

On  our  arrival  at  Greenliush,  we  found  the  ice  la 
the  nudsoii  too  unstable  to  admit  of  crossing  upon 
it,  and  were  passed  over  in  a  boat  propelled  along  a 
path  cut  through  i\\e  ice.J  There  was  some  snow 
in  the  ttreets  of  Alt:  any,  and  a  cold  wind  from  the 
north  presaged  a  check  to  the  advance  of  spring, 
which  bad  a  few  days  before,  given  such  flattering 
proofs  of  an  early  development  On  the  succeed- 
ing day  (the  8th)  there  arose  a  hail  storm  from  the 
northwest,  which  continued,  attended  with  rain  and 
slc«^t,  during  the  whole  day  and  succeeding  night, 
and  on  the  mornihg  of  the  9th,  the  hail  lay  eij^ht 
inches  deep  in  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  upon  the 
surrounding  plains  j  and  presented  the  novel  spec- 

•  See  Hall's  Modem  PariSj  in  the  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Repsrlcry. 

t  Clarke's  Travels  in  Russia. 

$  To  travellers,  and  others,  who  wish  to  study  the  topography 
(Of  this  route,  the  map  of  the  Hudson  between  Sandy^  Book  and  San- 
dy Hill,  with  the  post  road  between  New-York  and  Alhanyy  recently 
published  by  A.  T.  Goodrich  &  Co.  will  prove  a  valuable  dpcu- 
roent.  In  regard  to  the  genet al  geography  and  statistics  of  fh«. 
country,  Spafford's  Gazetteer  of  New-York  may  be  advantageously 
consulted.  The  history  of  the  discovery  of  this  river  by  Hfnry 
Hudson,  in  1609,  wiU  be  found  in  the  2d  Vol.  of  the  Collections  of 
the  New-  York  Historical  Society.  Its  geological  character  is  detail- 
ed in  Ackerly's  Essay  on  the  Geology  of  tJu  Hudson  river,  a  virork 
which  is  accompanied  by  an  excellent  geological  map  ;  and  ia 
UatorCeUdtx  to  the  Geology  of  (he  Northern  States,  2d  edition. 


21 

tecle  of  good  sleighing  produced  by  a  fall  of  hail.— 
The  storm  had  abated,  but  not  ceased,  in  the  even- 
ing,  when  I  proceeded  in  the  stage  to  Schenectady. 
The  route  lies  by  a  well  constructed  turnpike  of  six. 
teen  miles,  across  the  Pine  Plains,  a  district  of  san- 
dy alluvion,  bounded  by  the  gravelly  soil  of  GuiMer- 
land  and  Duanesburgh  on  the  southwest,  and  by  the 
river  alluviona  of  Niskayuna  and  Watervliet,  on  tho 
northeast,  and  covering  an  area  of  about  seventy 
square  miles.  This  tract  is  included  in  a  triangle  formed 
hy  the  junction  of  the  Mohawk  with  the  Hudson,  and 
of  which  the  Helleberg,  a  lofty  chain  of  highlands 
▼isible  from  the  plains  at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles 
forms  the  southwestern  bounda-y.  Situated  near  th- 
centre  of  a  state,  computed  at  40,000  square  miles, 
and  contaming  a  population  of  J  ,200,000  souls,*  this 
tract  presents  the  topographical  novelty  of  an  unre- 
claimed  desert,  in  the  heartof  one  of  the  oldest  coun- 
tiep  m  the  state,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  people  char- 
actenzed  for  enterprise  and  public  spirit.     Several 
attempts  have  lately  been  made  to  bring  this  tract 
into  cultivation,  and  from  the  success  which  has  at^ 
tended  the  introduction  of  gypsum,  and  other  im- 
proved modes  of  agriculture,  it  is  probable  the  whole 
will  at  some  future  period,  be  devoted  to  the  cuUiva. 
tion  of  the  various  species  of  grasses,  fruit  trees,  and 
esculent  roots  ;    three  branches  of  agriculture   to 
M  hich  Us  sandy  soil  seems  admirably  adapted.     It  is 
certamly  an  object  worthy  the  attention  of  those  so- 
cieties whose  efforts  to  improve  the  systems  of  crop- 
ping, to  facilitate  the  progress  of  farming  by  the  intro- 

iniri!'  ''  ^" '?'•"«*«  '^"'•a"<«<l  by  partial  return, of  the  census 


22 


duction  of  labour-saving  implements  and  machines^ 
and  to  emulate  agricultural  industry  by  the  annual 
distribution  of  premiums,  are  already  manifest  in  the 
improved  state  of  farms,  orchards,  and  breeds  of  do- 
mestic animals.  After  travelling  fifteen  miles  through 
the  Pine  Plains,  which  present  a  succession  of  the 
most  uninteresting  views,  the  eye  is  relieved  on  emer- 
ging, somewhat  abruptly,  from  the  forest  of  pines,  on 
entering  the  city  of  Schenectady, — a  town  which  is 
characterized  as  the  site  of  an  Indian  massricre  in 
1690, — the  seat  of  the  foundation  of  a  College  in 
1794,*  the  residence  of  a  population  of  5,909  inhab- 
itants in  1810,  and  the  victim  of  one  of  the  most  ter- 
rible conflagrations  in  the  fall  of  1  tt  1 9.t  As  we  enter- 
ed the  town,  the  snow,  which  had  imperceptibly  suc- 
ceeded to  the  hail  and  sleet  of  the  morning,  entirely 
ceased,  and  was  followed  by  a  night  of  severe  cold. 
The  preceding  day  (the  lOth,)  I  took  the  stage 
which  left  Albany  at  four  in  the  morning,  and  reach- 
ed Utica  at  seven  in  the  evening,  being  a  distance  of 
ninety-six  miles  in  seventeen  hours.  The  road  lies 
up  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk,  and  the  towns  succes- 
sively passed,  are  New  Amsterdam,  Caughnawaga, 
Palatine,  Little  Falls,  and  Herkimer.     There  Is  little 

*  See  Smith's  History  of  New- York,  p.  1 15. 

t «  Oh  the  morning  of  the  l7th  inst.  (Nov.  1 81 9)  at  4  o'clock,  a  most 
awful  conflagration  commcHced  its  ravages  in  the  city  of  Schenec- 
tady, and  continued  with  nnrerailted  violence,  until  about  11 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  It  broke  out  in  a  Currier's  shop  in  Water- 
street,  near  the  store  of  John  Moyston,  and  destroyed  about  100 
stores  and  dwelling  houses  in  State,  Church,  Union,  VVasliington, 
and  Front  Streets.  It  was  by  the  most  extraordinary  exertions 
only,  that  the  bridge  over  the  Mohawk  was  saved,  having  been  on 
fire  at  every  pier."— f  ^ow^ft  Boy,  Vol.  I.  p.  lOV' 


Ji'i 


sacre  m 


23 

i^ithep  in  the  taste  of  buildings,  condition  of  inhabi- 
tants, or  state  of  improvements,  to  elicit  description. 
A  valley  celebrated  for  the  fertility  of  its  soil,  now 
covered  with  snow  and  chilled  with  a  driving  wind 
from  the  north,  presented  a  scene  of  polar  inclemen- 
cy,^ and  could  not  be  distinguished  from  plains  of  ir- 
reclaimable sterility.     The  season  was  equally  unfa- 
vourable for  observing  the  physical  productions  and 
constitution  of  the  country,  or  the  labour  that  has 
been  bestowed  in  rendering  them  subservient  to  the 
wants  and  the  convenience  of  life.     But  the  sites  of 
towns,  the  banks  of  rivers,  plains,  or  mountains,  which 
have  once  witnessed  the  effects  of  human  industrv, 
whether  in  war  or  in  peace,  while  they  experience 
the  most  striking  physical  revolutions,  preserve  a 
moral  character,  which  no  change  can  obliterate- 
and  we  cannot  pass  through  the  country  formerly 
possessed  by  the  Mohawks,  without  recurring  to  the 
savage  cruelties  and  murders,  the  battles,  and  the  am- 
buscades    of  which  it  was  so  long  the  conspicuous 
theatre.     Th.s  powerful  and  warlike  tribe  was  one  of 
the  principal  members  of  Uie  Iroquois  confederacv 
so  long  the  terror  and  the  glory  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can Indians.  The  other  members  of  it,  were  the  Onei- 
das,  the  Onondagas,  the  Cayugas,  the  Senecas,  and 
the  Tuscaroras^*  They  ii^abited  the  country,  ;hen 
first  visited  by  Europeans,  from  the  Highlands  of  the 
Hudson  to  the  banks  of  the  Niagara,  and  they  had 
either  pushed  their  conquests,  or  carried  the  Lror 

K  * '^''"J"f «'-°'-««  d'd  not  originally  belong  to  the  confederacv 
but  .nhabned  thebacic  partsof  North  Caroli..:  where  ^a     g  2' 

adopted  b,the^r!i^:;,--p-:3^-  - 


«f  their  arms^from  the  island  of  Montreal  to  thehanki 
of  the  Mississippi.  The  league  was  formed  before 
their  acquaintance  with  Europeans,  and  it  is  the 
only  instance  to  be  found  in  the  history  of  the  aborigi- 
nes, of  a  permanent  union  for  the  general  welfare 
and  defence.  There  are  two  other  instances  of  a 
tempcwrary  confederation  of  tribes,  instituted  through 
the  energy  of  two  chiefs,  of  similar  character,  at  dis- 
tant periods,— that  of  Pontiac,  against  tlie  English, 
and  that  of  Tecumseh,  against  the  Americans.  But 
these,  although  powerful,  were  temporary  confedera- 
cies, and  dissolved  with  the  fall  of  the  respective 
chiefe  with  whom  they  had  originated.  The  Iro- 
quois, on  the  contrary,  had  not  united  for  any  speci- 
fic, but  for  general  purposes ;  their  compact  was  of 
immemorial  standing,  and  is  never  known  to  have 
been  broken,  in  a  single  instance.  United  by  the 
ties  of  blood,  speaking  dialects  of  one  language,  in- 
habiting the  same  country  and  climate,  and  acting  in 
one  eause,  they  had  acquired  a  national  pride,  and  a 
national  character ;  and  when  we  reflect  upon  the 
advances  they  had  made  in  the  art  of  government,  and 
the  sound  maxims  of  policy  by  which  they  were  uni- 
formly actuated,  we  cannot  suppress  the  wish  that  the 
period  of  the  discovery  of  the  new  world  had  been 
deferred  a  century  longer,  that  we  might  have  view- 
ed the  Northern  Indian  in  a  state  of  civilization,  which 
it  is  not  now  probable  we  shall  ever  behold.*  The  ef- 

•  For  an  account  of  the  numbers,  government,  exploits,  and  cus- 
toms of  the  Iroquois,  see  Gov.  Clinton's  Discourse  before  the  New- 
York  Historical  Society,  2d  vol,  of  their  Collections.  Colden's  His- 
tory of  the  Five  Nations.  La  Hontan's  Voyages  to  Canada.— 
Journal  of  a  voyage  to  North  Aiowi«a,by  Charlevoix.  Smith's  His- 
tory of  New-York. 


2a 

Ifect  we  cannot  doubt,  Would  have  been  auspicious  W 
the  cause  of  the  Indians,  and  gratifying  to  the  friends  of 
philanthropy.*    Of  this  confederacy,  which  furnishes 
the  strongest  evidence  oftheintellectun'  vigour  of  the 
aborigines,  and  which  has  been  entirely  forgotten, 
as  a  confederacy,  among  the  local  names  of  the 
country  which  they  once  o<yupied,  and  still,  in  limi- 
ted tracts,  possess ;   the  Mohawks  were  the  most 
bloody,  the  most  artful,  the  bravest,  and  the  most 
powerful.     They  occupied  Uie  very  extensive  dis- 
trict of  alluvial  lands  from  Scaghticoke  on  theHoo- 
sick  river,  to  the  banks  of  the  Oriskany,  in  Oneida, 
and  had  such  weight  in  the  confederacy  that  it  was 
sometimes  even  denominated  by  their  name.t 

From  the  time  of  my  departure  from  New- York,  the 
weather  had  gradually  assumed  a  character  of  such 
severity,   as  to  forbid  the  expectation  of  a  speedy 
opening  of  the  northern  lakes,  and  left  me  at  liberty 
to  proceed  with  more  leisure;  a  circumstance  of 
which  I  availed  myself  by  spending  several  days  at 
Utica,  and  the  villages  adjacent.     Standing  at  the 
head  of  the  Mohawk,  and  at  the  intersection  of  the 
most  important  roads  from  the  north  and  the  west 
part  of  the  state,  Utica  unites  extraordinary  advan- 
tages, as  a  point  for  the  sale  and  exchange  of  the 
products  of  agriculture  and  domestic  manufactures. 
It  IS  the  emporium  of  one  of  the  most  extensive  and 
fertile  districts  of  farming  lands  in  the  state,  and  the 
advantages  of  geographical  position,  will  be  still  fur- 
ther  augmented  by  the  Erie  canal,  which  is  to  pass 
•  Smith's  History  of  New- York,  p.  73, 


I 


# 


'l\ 


4hrough  thh  ieeiitre  of  tlie  town."*  This  village 
lies  in  north  latitude  43**  6'  and  occupies  the  ancient 
site  of  Fort  Schuyler ;  atiame  that  recalls  the  mem- 
ory of  a  soldier  and  a  patriot  of  the  revolution.!  It 
was  first  incorporated  in  1798,  under  the  name  of  the 
village  of  Fort  Schuyler.  In  1 805,  this  act  was  repeal- 
ed, and  a  new  one  passed  conferring  additional  privi- 
leges, and  its  Asiatic  name.  In  1810,  it  contained  a 
population  of  1700  inhabitants,  and  consisted  of  300 
dwelling  houses  and  stores,  exclusive  of  churches  and 
other  public  buildings.  Its  subsequent  increase  has 
been  very  rapid  ;  and  the  style  of  architecture  and 
general  appearance  of  the  town,  indicate  the  taste 
and  the  public  spirit  which  prevails.    Fifteen  miles 

*  Since  that  period,  the  canal  has  been  finished  from  Utica  to 
"Senwa  river,  a  dtstance  of  ninety-six  miles,  and  the  perma- 
lie;icy  of  the  wrorlcs,  the  iiuniher  of  boats  loaded  with  the  pro- 
duce of  the  country,  which  have  constantly  covered  it,  and  other 
circumstances  have  been  such  as  to  realize  the  most  sanguine  ex- 
pectations of  the  friends  and  projectors  of  that  great  work. 

f  My  New- York  readers  will  undoubtedly  excuse  me  for  present- 
ing the  following  iubt  and  feeling  iribute  to  the  talents  and  patriot- 
ism of  the  late  Gen.  Schuyler,  from  the  pen  cf  a  contemporary 
•oldier  and  patriot,  Col.  Troup,  of  Geneva. 

«  I  should  outrage  every  feeling  of  my  nature,  were  I  to  lay  down 
xny  pen  without  paying,  in  the  warmest  language  of  the  heart,  the 
homage  of  my  unfeigned  gratitude  to  the  memory  of  General 
Schuyler,  for  the  patriotism  which  led  him  to  devote  to  the  Lake 
Canal  Policy,  that  ardent  zeal,  and  those  extraordinary  talents 
which  marked  his  glorious  career  in  our  revolutionary  contest;  a 
career  thai  justly  entitles  him  to  be  ranked  in  the  number  of  the 
illustrious  founders  of  our  republic.  And,  I  hope  to  be  pardoned 
for  subjoining,  that  whenever  imagination  places  this  very  distin- 
guished man  before  me,  I  soon  become  confounded  with  shame 
for  the  extreme  neglect— I  wilf  not  call  it  ingratitude,  with  which 
the  stale  has  treated  his  venerable  name." 

Vrndication  oftht  Lake  Canal  Policy' 


•orthwest  of  Utica,  lies  the  site  of  Port  Stanwlx, 
(now  occupied  by  the  village  of  Rome)  the  seen* 
of  one  of  the  struggles  of  our  revolutionary  contest. 
This  fort  was  first  built  about  the  year  1758,  by  the 
British,  but  falling  into  decay,  was  repaired  and  en- 
larged in  1-76,  and  in  the  following  ybar  sustained, 
under  the  command  of  the  late  Major  General  Ganse- 
voort,  a  siege  of  twenty-two  days,  from  a  conibiued 
force  of  British  and  Indians,  under  the  command  of 
Col.  St.  Ledger.    It  was  in  marching  to  the  relief  of 
this  post,  that  the  unfortunate  Gen.  Herkimer,  falling 
into  an  Indian  ambuscade  on  the  banks  of  the  Oris! 
kany,  lost  his  life,  and  the  greatest  part  of  his  army. 
With  the  retreat  of  St.  Ledger,  (who,  after  a  sortie 
from  the  garrison,  led   by  Col.  Marii.us  Willett,  in 
which  four  stands  of  colours  were  captured,^  was 
compelled  to  raise  the  siege)  departed,  the  Mohawk 
Indians,  then  in  alliance  wj^th  the  British,  and  they 
have  never  since  appeared,  as  a  nation,  within  our 
precincts. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  I  took  the  stage  which  left 
Uticaat  twoin  the  morning,  and  passing  through 
Vernon,  Manlius,  and  Onondaga,  lodged  at  Skene- 
atelas,  a  neat  and  airy  village  on  the  banks  of  one  of 
those  beautiful  and  transparent  little  lakes  which  cast 
such  a  charm  over  the  scenery  of  western  New- York. 

•  I  do  not  and  'his  sally  of  the  besieged  garrieon  recorded  in 
any  h.story,  and  it  is  here  mentioned  on  the  aLority  of  a  p  i„ 
(Cci.Lawrence  Schoolcraft.  ,he  father  of  the  writer)  who  IL  T 

ZZ'lfT  ""f  .  '"'■^ '''''°"  '^  '^'^  characterized  aTaZd 
i..g  one  of  the  proofs  of  which  the  events  of  that  war  afforded  nm- 
sInJe  tnumph  of  militia,  and  raw  recruits,  acting  under  a  sIZ 
over       .Jf    "?'  "'^P''''*""'  «"•*  ""  ^"thuHiastic  love  of  libZ 


2a 


1 


( 


H  ( 


On  the  eleventh,  we  passed  Auburn*  at  an  eaiv 
}y  hour,  and  crossing  Cayuga  lake  by  a  wooden 
bridge  of  a  mile  in  length,  reached  Geneva  at  one 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  entire  distance  is  nine- 
ty-six miles.  The  route  lies  across  the  important 
agricultural  counties  of  Oneida,  Sullivan,  Onondagai 
Cayuga,  Seneca,  and  a  part  of  Ontario,  a  part  of  the 
Extensive  country  formerly  occupied  by  the  Iroquois* 
whose  great  council  fire  was  fized  at  Onondaga,t 
where  a  part  of  that  tribe  still  remain.  It  >8  the 
scene  of  the  operations  of  Gen.  Sullivan's  army  in  the 
summer  of  1779,  when  the  Iroquois  tribes  paid  the 
price  of  their  constancy  to  the  Britiiih,  in  the  de- 
struction of  their  villages,  the  slaughter  and  expulsion 
of  a  great  part  of  their  population,  and  the  tolal  an* 
nihilation  of  their  power  as  a  confederacy  and  a  peo- 
ple. There  is  no  account  of  a  general  council  held  by 
them  after  the  operation^  of  this  year,  and  the  seat  of 
tbdr  council  fire,  which  is  always  sacred  and  im- 

*  The  inrrease  of  this  village,  within  the  last  ten  years,  is 
surprising,  and  may  be  cited  from  an  hundred  other  instances,  to 
convey  an  idea  ofthe  growth,  population,  and  improvements  of  the 
western  parts  of  New- York.  In  1810,  SpafTord  states  it  to  consist 
/  ^100  houses  and  stares,  mostly  built  within  the  last  6  years.  Th« 
census  of  1830  gives  the  following  result  — Auburn  paper. 


rrivate  BuUdiati. 


PaUi«  BulUlngt. 


ManufiietiiKf. 


I 


r 


I* 


t  Smith's  History  oC New-York,  p.  68. 


;    ■( 


>l 


9». 

moveable  among  Indian  tribei,  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  their  enemieb.    Atler  this  defeat,  a  great 
proportion  of  the  tribes  fled  to  Canada,  and  of  two 
entire  tribes,  the  Cayugas  and  the  Mohawks,  there  i» 
not  an  individual  left.     What  remains  of  the  tri bet 
which  were  not  then  expelled,  or  have  since  expatri- 
ated themselves,  is  to  be  seen  in  the  villages  of  the 
Oneidas  and  OnOndagas,  and  such  of  the  Senecas  and 
Tuscaroras,  as  are  located  near  Buffalo.*    A  county 
that  was  then  the  theatre  of  a  frontier  war,  and  the 
inheritance  of  a  powerful  nation  of  semi-barbarians, 
is  now  smiling  under  the  hand  of  agriculture,   and 
checquered  with  towns,  and  villages,  roads  and  ca- 
nals, the  seats  of  learning,  and  the  temples  of  religion. 
Perhaps  no  countrj  presents  so  remarkable  an  in- 
Btancfe  of  the  progress  of  human  settlement8,achieved 
in  so  short  a  period  of  time.f    A  lapse  of  fortj  years 

•The  Slockbridge  Indian,  settled  on  the  Oneida  reservation,  are 
not  of  the  race  of  the  Iroquois.  They  migrated  from  the  banLof 
the  Hudson  .n  1734  to  Stockbridge,  in  Massachusetts,  and  from 
thence  about  the  year  17W  removed  to  the  spot  they  noi.  occopr. 
The  Brothertown  Indian,  are  descendants  of  the  Muhbekpnot 
who  formerly  inhabited  the  country  about  Narraganset,  in  Rhode- 
Island.- am/o«>  Discourse  before  the  Historical  Society  of  New 
York,  p.  43, 2rf  vol.  Collections  of  that  Society.  • 

t  Inereoie  ofPopulatun^.^ln  the  year  1790,  the  then  county  of 
Cntano,  according  to  the  census  then  taken,  contained  but  505 
famihes.  and  108 .  inhabitants.  « I„  the  same  texrilory,  (says  the 
€aru>Ma^gua  ReposUoryJ  i„  the  year  1800  (except  the  county  of 
Steuben,  wh,ch  was  set  pff  in  1796)  the  population  was  12,5SI. 
The  county  ofGenesee  was  erected  in  1806,  and  the  counties  of 
Niajrara,  Lhautauque.  and  Cataragus,  1808  ;  leaving  for  the  county 

18  expected  to  shoTv  about  90,000.    Genesee  and  Niagara  have  in- 


lias  already  irendered  it  difficult  to  distinguish  be^ 
tweeii  tiiose  tumuiif  ancient  ibrtifications,  and  other 
antiquities  which  owe  their  origin  to  an  anterior  race 
of  inhabitants,  and  those  marks  of  occupation  left  by 
the  Iroquois,  or  attributable  to  the  French. 

On  passing  through  Uneida  county  on  the  lOth  pf 
April,  there  was  stilt  some  snow  to  be  seen  in  situa- 
tions shaded  by  the  buildings  or  fences,  but  it  had 
entirely  disappeared  in  I  he  roads,  and  in  the  open 
fields.  The  roads  contuiued  muddy  to  Onondaga 
East  Plill ;  on  the  West  Hill,  they  were  dry,  and  so 
continued  with  partial  exceptions,  to  Geneva,  where 
the  clouds  of  dust  by  which  we  were  enveloped,  and 
the  appearances  of  vegetation,  indicated  the  benign 
climate  which  pervades  the  luxuriant  country  of  the 
Genesee.  Every  appearance  indicated  a  season  ten 
days  more  advanced  than  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk, 
which  is  only  separated  by  the  distance  of  a  hundred 
miles.  The  wild  poplar  put  forth  leaves  on  the 
18th,  the  house  popular  {^populus  dilatata)  on  the  23d, 
apricots  were  in  blossom  on  the  22d.  The  ther- 
mometer observed  at  one  o^clock,  P.  M.  varied,  be- 
tween the  1  Ith  and  28th,  from  60o,  to  78%  of  Fahren- 
heit, during  which  period  the  weather  was  clear, 
mild,  and  pleasant,  with  the  exception  of  a  fall  of  rain 
on  the  26th  and  27  th.  The  village  of  Geneva,  occu- 
pying a  beautiful  eminence  at  the  head  of  Seneca 
Lake,  and  surrounded  by  a  district  of  country,  under 

creased  nearly  ia  the  same  proportion.  The  census  in  the  several 
counties,  for  1820,  is  not  yet  completed  ;  but  the  total  population 
in  the  territory,  which,  only  thirty  years  since,  eonlaimd  but  ^en 
hundred  caid  eighty  one  soulSf  doubtless  exceeds  two  hunprkd 
Thousanp  •'  I— We  doubt  whether  a  p:!rallel  can  be  found,  in  th« 
rise  and  progress  of  any  country  in  any  ag«."— iV.  Y.  Stata.nan, 


>va,  occu- 


a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improvement^  pre* 
tents  a  most  picturesque  appearance,  on  apf     ach- 
ing it  in  a  clear  day  frotn  the  east;  and  the  display  of 
the  town,  po  highly  favoured  by  local  advantages,  at 
the  distance  of  a  mile,  creates  an  idea  of  wealth, 
taste,  and  business,  which  is  not  disappointed  on  be- 
holding it  the  cori    e  of  h  populous  agricultural  dis- 
trict, the  mart  of  u    produce  and  the  theatre  of  it» 
exchange,  where  the  intersection  of  several  import- 
ant roads,  and  a  branch  of  the  Erie  Canal,  facilitate 
a  ready  intercourse  with  all  parts  of  the  state.     A 
person  of  information  who  has  had  opportunities  of 
occular  comparison,  is  disposed  to  consider  the  na- 
tural advantages  of  this  village  and  vicinity,  a^  a 
place  susceptible  of  rural  embellishments,  superior 
to  that  of  the  celebrated  city  of  Switzerland,  in  allu- 
•ion  to  which  it  has  been  named. 

On  the  i?8th  of  April,  I  left  Geneva,  and  passing 
through  Canandaigua,  Bloomfield,  and  Lima,  lodged 
at  Avon,  upon  the  banks  of  Genesee  river.  On  the 
following  day  we  passed  through  Caledonia,  Le  Roy, 
Batavia,  Pembroke,  and  Clarence,  and  arrived  at 
Buffalo  in  the  evening,  a  distance  of  210  miles  from 
Utica.  This  route  lies  across  the  populous  coun- 
ties of  Ontario,  Genesee,  and  Niagara,  colloquially 
known  under  ihe  name  of  the  Genesee  country,  and 
proverbial  for  the  fertility  of  its  soil.*     We  found 

•  At  the  annual  fair  and  cattle  show  in  Ontario  county,  in  the 
fall  of  1819.  premiuHiB  were  awarded  on  the  following  articles,  viz : 

Best  winter  wheat,  80  bushels  12  qts.  on  the  acre. 

Barley,  34  bushels  on  the  acre. 

Peas,  32  bushels  4  qts.  on  the  acre.^Canandaigua  Papar. 

In  Onondaga  county  at  the  agricultural  fair  of  the  saaie  iieason, 
premiums  were  awarded  on, 


the  peach*  and  the  earlier  varieties  of  apple  treci 
every  where  in  blossom,  and  the  beech  {Jagutfemh 
ginea^)  the  wild  poplar,  or  the  American  Aspen,  and 
■ome  other  species  of  the  early  sprouting  forest  treef, 
already  gave  the  forest  a  veriiul  aspect.  These  ap« 
pearances  continued  until  within  eight  or  ten  miles 
of  Buffalo,  where  the  influence  of  the  lake  winds, 
and  the  bodies  of  unmelted  ice  in  the  lakes,  have  a 
sensible  effect  upon  the  progress  of  vegetation, 
which  appears  to  be  retarded  eight  or  ten  days  later 
on  account  of  this  exposure.  The  peach  tree  had 
there  budded,  but  not  yet  blown.  We  found  the 
lake  still  covered  with  floating  ice,  and  no  vessel  had 

Yhe  belt  Winter  Wheat,  37  busheU  t4lbs.  to  the  acre. 

do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
.    do. 
Onondaga  paper. 
In  Oneida  County,  at  the  annual  fair  and  cattle  show,  of  the 
same  season,  the  following  articles  received  premiums : 

Winter  Wheat,  Reuben  Oridley,  of  Paris,  tvro  acres  72  bushels 
per  acre. 

Spring  Wheat,  Jona.  Wilcox,  Paris,  44  bushels  per  acre. 
Indian  Corn,  Samuel  Cary,  Deerfi*>ld,  1 19  bushels  per  acre. 
Barley,  R.  Southworth,  Paris,  56  bushels  28  quarts  per  acre. 
Oats,  Jed.  Sanger,  Whitestown,  84|  per.  acre. 
Peas,  D.  Barton,  Paris,  32  bushels,  per  acre. 
Potatoes,  A.  Baftlett,  Paris,  505  bushels  per  acre. 
Butter,  D.  Barton,  Paris,  had  already  made  3t07  pounds  from 
21  cows. — Plough  Boy  and  Journal  of  the  Board  ofAgricultwi  by 
S.  Southtoick,  Vol.  1. 

But  the  greatest  product  of  Indian  corn  raised  during  this  sea> 
son,  and  perliaps  the  greatest  ever  known,  was  by  Air  Jedediah 
Dusenbury,  of  Portland,  Chautauque  county,  which  was  132  bush* 
kIs  12  quarts  from  an  acre — Plough  Boy,  Vol  1.  p>  199 


Spring 

2S 

83 

Barley    • 

41 

17 

Flax, 

850  ibi. 

Oats, 

94 

11 

Corn, 

121 

12  qU. 

S3 

attempted  the  navigation.  The  eteam  boat  bad  ad- 
verUsed  to  start  on  her  first  trip,  on  the  first  of  May, 
but  the  backward  state  of  the  weather,  and  the  ic« 
in  the  lake,  had  induced  the  captain  to  defer  it  until 
the  6th,  leaving  me  a  week  to  visit  the  Falls  of  Ni- 
agara, and  the  battle  grounds  on  the  north  banks  of 
the  Niagara. 

The  lowp  of  Buffalo  contained  a  hundred  houseg. 
bc«,de8  the  count,  building,,  in  I8I0.»  On  the  aoth 
of  December  1813,  it  wa»  burnt  by  a  party  of  Bri- 
«h  troop,  and  Indian,,  who  laid  waste  .hi,  frontier 
It  ha,  eince  been  rebuilt  with  increased  eleeance' 
and  .,  now  a  town  of  about  200  building,,  I  pro-' 
portion  of  which  are  of  brick.  It  occupies  an  ei^ 
inence,  which  was  recommended  to  the  French  eo- 
vernment,  as  a  commanding  site  for  a  garrison,  b, 
the  Baron  La  Hontan,  i„  ,693,  and  marked  fZ 

TTr  "''r'"""»P-^  The  6»t  vessel  which  navi 
gated  Ls^e  Erie,  was  builtin  this  vicinity  hy  U  s. 
le,  m  l(,79    being  a  ve«,el  of  sixty  tons  'bunlen  t 
A  part  of  the  tribe  of  the  Seneca' rndiU"tuf 
700  souls,  are  located  in  this  vicinilv     Th.  „-ii 
ofBlack  Rock,  the  residence  of  GrPeteTe  S 
"  situated  two  miles  below,  at  a  spot  which  i°  In" 
posed  to  unite  superior  advantages,  as  a  plleTf 
«rade,  and  a  harbour  for  vessels  ■ '•"' P'^ce  of 

On  the  first  of  May,  I  visited  the  celebrated  Fall, 
ofN.agara,§  situated  22  miles  below.    Keeptgthe 

•  Spafford. 

*  La  Hontan'a  New  Vovawc  i«  r      j 

«w  voyages  to  Canada,  p,  igr,  vol.  i, 

I  Smith's  History  ofNew.York,  p.  80. 

5 


34 

American  shore,  the  road  lies  over  an  alluvial  coun- 
try, elevated  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  above  the  water 
of  the  river,  without  a  hill,  or  a  ledge  of  rocks,  and 
with  scarce  an  undulation  of  surface,  to  indicate  the 
existence,  or  prepare  the  eye  for  the  stupenduous 
prospect  which  bursts,  somewhat  unexpectedly,  into 
view.  The  day  was  clear  and  warm,  with  a  light 
breeze  blowing  down  the  river.  We  stopped  fre- 
quently on  our  approach  to  listen  for  the  sound  of 
the  Fall, but  at  the  distances  offifteen,  ten,  eight,  and 
even  five  miles,  could  not  distinguish  any,  even  by 
laying  the^  ear  to  the  ground.  It  was  not  until 
within  three  miles  of  the  precipice,  where  the  road 
runs  close  to  the  edge  of  the  river,  and  brings  the  ra- 
pids in  full  view,>that  we  could  distinctly  hear  the 
sound,  which  then,  owing  to  a  change  of  the  wind, 
fell  so  heavy  upon  the  ear,  that  in  proceeding  a  short 
distance,  it  was  difficult  to  maintain  a  conversation, as 
we  rode  along.  On  reaching  the  Falls,  nothitig  struck 
me  with  more  surprise,  than  that  the  Baron  La  Hon- 
tan,  who  visiled  it  in  August,  1688,  should  have  fal- 
len into  so  egregious  a  mistake,  as  to  the  height  of 
the  perpendicular  pitch,  which  he  represents  at  seven 
or  eight  hundred  feet  •  Nor  does  the  narrator  of  the 
discoveries  of  the  unfortunate  La  Salle,  Monsieur 
Tonti,  approach  much  nearer  to  the  truth,  when  he 
states  it  at  six  hundred  fcet.f  CharIevoix,whose  work 

being  strongly  accentuated  on  the  third  syllable,  while  the  intorjec- 
tion  O,  is  so  feebljr  uttered,  that  without  a  nice  attetitioii,  it  may 
escape  notice. 

•  La  Honfau's  Voyages,  vol.  I.  p.  82. 

+  All  Account  of  the  last  Eixpedition  and  Discoveries  of  Mon- 
fljeur  De  La  S&\\e.~-CoU6ctiom  o/tlw  Miw-Yorh  Historkai  Society-, 
Vol.  U.  p.i!2«, 


vial  coun- 
the  water 
ocks,  and 
dicate  the 
ipenduous 
tedly, into 
ith  a  light 
jpped  fre- 
I  sound  of 
eight,  and 
J,  even  by 
not  until 
(  the  road 
igs  the  ra- 
^  hear  the 
the  wind, 
ng  a  short 
rsation,as 
itig  struck 
1  La  Hon- 
l  have  fal- 
height  of 
ts  at  seven 
ator  of  the 
Monsieur 
,  when  he 
hose  work 

Ihe  intprjec- 
titioii;  it  may 


35 

is  characterized  by  more  accuracy,  learning,  and  re* 
search,  than  those  who  had  preceded  him,  and  who 
saw  the  Falls  in  1721,  makes,  on  the  contrary,  an  es- 
timate which  is  surprising  for  the  degree  of  accuracy- 
he  has  attained.     *♦  For  my  own  part,"  he  says,  «  af- 
ter examining  it  on  all  sides,  where  it  could  be  view- 
ed to  the  greatest  advantage,  I  am  inclined  to  think 
we  cannot  allow  it  less  than  a  hundred  and  forty 
or  fifty  feet."*   The  latter,  (one  hundred  and  fifty)  is 
precisely  what  the  Fall  on  the  Canadian  side,  is  now 
estimated  at.     There  is  a  rapid  of  two  miles  in  ex- 
tent above,  and  another  of  seven  miles,  extending  to 
Lewiston,  below  the  Falls.      The  breadth  across,  at 
the  brink  of  the  Fail,  which  is  serrated  and  irregular, 
is  estimated  at  four  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty 
feet,  or  a  little  more  tbaii  three-fourths  of  a  mile. 
The  Fall  on  the  American  shore  is  one  hunderd  and 
sixty-four  feet,  being  the  highest  known  perpendi- 
cular pitch  of  so  great  a  volume  of  water.f     The  fall 
of  the  rapid  above,  commencing  at  Chippewa,  is 
estimated  at  ninety  feet,  and  the  entire  fall  of  Niaga- 
ra river  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario,  a  distance 
of  thirty-five  miles,  at  three  hundred  feet.      Goat 
Island,  which  divides  the   water  into  two  unequal 
sheets,  has  recently  been  called  /m,(in  allusion  to  the 
perpetual  rain  bows  by  which  it  is  characterized)  by 

•  Charlevoix's  Journal  of  a  Vo3^age  to  North  America,  vol.1, 
p.  353. 

t  It  is  in  the  volume  of  falling  t^eronly,  that  Niagara  claims 
a  pre-eramence.  There  are  many  higher  falls  in  various  parts 
of  South  America  and  Kurope.  The  greatest  water  fail  in  Eunme, 
IS  on  the  river  Lattin,  in  I,a.nl«nd,  which  is  half  a  mile  wide,  and 
has  a  perpendicular  pitch  of  400  feet. 


# 


36 


tiie  commissioners  for  settling  the  boundaries  of  the 
United  States,  acting  under  the  treaty  of  Ghent.     In 
approaching  this  cataract  from  Lewiston,  the  elevat- 
ed and  rocky  description  of  country  it  is  necessary 
to  cross,  together  with   the  increased  distance  at 
which  the  roar  is  heard  in  that  direction,  must  serve 
to  prepare  the  mind  for  encountering  a  scene  which 
there  is  nothing  to  indicate  on  approaching  from  Buf- 
falo ;    and  this  impression  unquestionably  continueg 
to  exercise  an  effect  upon  the  beholder,  after  his  ar- 
rival at  the  falls.     The  first  European  visitors  be- 
held it  und.  i-  this  influence.    Following  the  path  of 
the  Couriers  de  Bois,  thoy  proceeded  from  Montreal 
up  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  Fort  Caderacqui,  and  around 
the  shores  of  Lake  Ontario,  to  the  alluvial  tract  which 
stretches  from  the  mouth  of  Niagara  river,  to  the 
site  of  Lewiston.  Here  the  Ridge,  emphatically  socal- 
led,  commences,  and  the  numher  of  elevations  which 
it  is  necessary  to  ascend  in  crossing  it,  may,  without 
a  proper  consideration  of  the  intermediate  descents, 
hare  led  those  who  formerly  approached  that  way 
into  error,  such  as  La  Hontan,  and  Tonti  fell  into. 
They  must  have  been  deprived  also  of  the  advanta- 
ges of  the  view  from  the  gulph  at  the  foot  of  the  Falls, 
for  we  are  not  prepared  to  admit  the  possibility  of  a 
descent  without  artificial  stairs,  or  other  analoo-ous 
labourious  and  danjj;orou9  works,  such,  as  at  that  re- 
mote period,  must  have  been  looked  upon  as  a  stu- 
pendous undertaking ;  and  could  not,  indeed,  have 
been  accomplished,  su#)und.  d  as  the  French  then 
were,  by  their  enemies,  the  jealous  and  ever  watchful 
Iroquois.     The  descent  at  the  present  period,  with 
every  advantage  nrlning  Irom  the  labours  of  mechan- 
ical ingenuity,  cannot  be  performed  without  feeling 


37 

some  degree  of  personal  solicitude,      ft  is  in  this 
chasm  that  the  sound  of  the  water,  falls  heaviest  upon 
the  car,  and  that  the  mind  becomes  full^  impressed, 
with  the  appalling  majesty  of  the  Fall.     Other  views 
from  the  banks  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  from 
the  Island  of  Iris,  in  its  centre,  are  more  beautiful  and 
picturesque;  but  it  is  here  that  the  tremulous  motion 
of  the  earth,  the  clouds  of  irridescent  spray,  the 
broken  column  of  falling  water,  the  stunning  sound, 
the  lofty  banks  of  the   river,  and  the  wide  spread^ 
mg  ruin  of  rocks,  imprint  a  character  of  wonder 
and  terror  upon  the  scene,  wbich  no  other  point 
of  view  IS  capable  of  producing.      The  spectator, 
who,  on  alighting  at  Niagara,   walks  hastily  to  the 
brink,  feels  his  attention  imperceptibly  rivited   to 
the  novel  and  striking  phenomenon  before  him,  and, 
at  this  moment,  is  apt  either  to  over-rate  or  to  under- 
ratethe  magnitude  of  the  Fall.     It  is  not  easy  to  erect 
astandard  of  comparison  ;  and  the  view  requires  to 
be  studied  m  order  to  attain  a  just  conception  and  ap- 
precmtion  of  its  grandeur  and  its  beauties.     The  ear 
IS  at  first  stunned  by  the  incessant  roar,  and  the  eye 

ture^^f  fr;  r^^'^"  '"'""  "P""  theindividual  fea- 
ures  of  the  landscape,and  are  enabled  to  distinguish 
between  the  gay  and  the  sombre,  the  bold  and  The 
picturesque,  the  harsh  and  the  mellow  traits,  which, 
hke  the  deep  contrasted  shades  of  some  high  ;rough 
pictui,  contribute  to  give  effect  to  the  scene.  I 
was  some  time  before  I  could  satisfy  myself  of  the  ac 

o7rFafl     T^^^'^^^~e-ntLf  the  height 
of  the  Fall,  and  not  until  after  I  had  made  repeated 

iTw      rr'  '  ^^"^'^^"-^^^^^  t'^^ein  the  abys. 
'^elow.      There  appears  a  great  disproportion  be- 


IlifM 


38 

twcen  the  height  and  the  width  of  the  falling  sheet, 
but  the  longer  I  remained,  the  more  magnificent  it 
appeared  to  me ;  and  hence  it  is,  thnt  with  some- 
thing like  a  feeling  of  disappointment,  on  my  first 
arrival,  I  left  the  Falls,  after  a  visit  of  two  days,  with 
an  impression  of  the  scene,  which  every  thing  I  had 
previously  read,  had  failed  to  create.     At  the  time  of 
my  visit,  the  wind  drove  the  floating  ice  out  of  Lake 
Erie,  with  the  drift  wood  of  its  tributary  rivers,  and 
these  were  constanily  precipitated  over  the  Falls,  but 
we  were  not  able  to  discover  any  vestiges  of  them 
in  the  eddies  below.     Immediately  in  front  of  the 
sheet  of  falling  water    on  the  American  side,  there 
was  also  an  enormous  bank  of  snow,  of  nearly  an 
hundred  feet  in  height,  which  the  power  of  the  sun 
had  not  yet  been  fierce  enough  to  dissolve,   and 
which,  by  giving  an  Icelandic  character  to  the  land- 
scape, produced  a  fine  effect.     It  appeared  to  me  to 
owe  itf  accumulation,  to  the  falling  particles  of  froz- 
en spray. 

What  has  been  said  by  Goldsmith,  and  repeated 
by  others,  respecting  the  destructive  influence  of  the 
rapids  above,  to  ducks  and  other  water  fowl,  is  only 
an  effect  of  the  imagination.  So  far  from  being  the 
case,  the  wild  duck,  is  often  seen  t«>  swim  down  the 
rapid  to  the  brink  of  the  Falls,  and  then  fly  out,  and 
repeat  the  descent,  seeming  to  take  a  delight,  in  the 
exercise.  Neither  are  small  land-birds  aflected  on 
flying  over  the  Falls,  in  the  manner  that  has  been  sta- 
ted. I  observed  the  blue  bird  and  the  wren,  which 
had  already  made  their  annual  visit  to  the  banks  of 
the  Niagara,  frequently  fly  within  one  or  two  feet  of 
the  brink,  apparently  delighted  with  the  gift  of  their 
wings,  which  enabled  them  to  sport  over  such  fright- 


39 

ful  precipices,  without  danger.  We  are,  certainly, 
not  well  pleased  to  find,  that  some  of  the  wonderful 
stories,  we  have  read  of  the  Falls,  during  bo.yhood, 
do  not  turn  out  to  he  the  truth ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  a  little  a.teniion  is  only  necessary  to  discover, 
that  many  interesting  facts  and  particulars,  remain 
unnoticed,  which  fully  compensate  for  others,  that 
have  been  overstrained  or  misstated.  Among  these, 
the  crystalline  appearances,  disclosed  among  the 
prostrate  ruins,  arid  the  geological  character  of  the 
Fall  itself,  are  not  the  least  interesting. 

The  scenes  where  nature  has  experienced  her 
greatest  convulsions,  are  always  the  mo^  favourable 
for  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  internal  stiucture 
of  the  earth.     The  peaks  of  the  highest  mountains, 
and  the  depths  of  the  lowest  ravines,  present   the 
greatest  attractions  to  the  geologist.     Hence  this 
cataract,  which  has  worn  its  way  for  a  number  of 
miles,  and  to  a  very  great  depth,  through  the  stony 
crust  of  the  earth,  is  no  less  interesting  for  the  geo- 
logical  facts  it  discloses,  than  for  the  magnificence 
of  its  natural  scenery.     The   chain  of  highlands 
called  the  mj^e,  originates  in  Upper-Canada,  and 
runrnng  parallel  with  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Onta- 
rio, forms  a  natural  terrace,  which  pervades  the  wes- 
tern counties  of  New- York,  from  north  to  south,  af- 
fonlH.g,  by  its  unbroken  chain,  and  the  horizontal 
position  ol  its  strata,   the  advantages  of  a  natural 
road,  and   terminates  in  an  unexplored  part  of  the 
county  of  Oswego,  or  thereabout.     It  is  in  crossing 
this  ridge,  that  the  Falls  of  the  Niagara,  of  the  Gene- 
see,  and  of  the  Oswego  rivers,  all  running  into  Lake 
Untario,  are  produced ;  together  with  those  of  an 
»niinite  number  of  smaller  streame  and  brooks.^ 


•f 


40 

Through  this,  the  Niagara  has  cut  its  way  for  a  dis- 
tance of  seven  miles,  and  to  a  depth  of  more  than 
two  hundred  feet,  disclosing  the  number,  order  of 
•tratification,  and  mineral  character,  of  the  different 
strata  of  secondary  rocks,  of  which  it  is  composed. 
These  are,  beginning  at  the  lowest  visible  point,  red 
sand  stone,  fragile  sJate,  and  fetid  limeatone,  the  lat- 
ter occupyJM,  «he  curf-ce,  and  imbedding  crystals 
of  calcare-  r,*  and  foliated  gypsum.f     How 

far  these  forn.  .ions,  in  the  order  in  which  the'  are 
hero  seen,  continue  towards  the  south,  and  extend  la- 
terally towards  the  east  and  the  west,  the  want  of 
more  extensive  observations,  prevents  us  from  deter- 
mining. A  similar  formation  exists  at  Genesee  Falls, 
and  the  sand  stone  stratum,  continues  unbroken  to 
Oswego,  where  it  is  quarried  for  the  purposes  of 
building4  It  is  probable,  that  the  slate  rock,  vari- 
ously modified,  and  combined,  extends  throughout 
the  Genesee  country,  as  it  is  found  on  the  banks  of 
the  Seneca  Lake,— the  Cashong,  Flint,  and  Allen's 
Creeks,— in  the  towns  of  Le  Roy,  and  Clarence  in 
digging  wells,— on  the  banks  of  Lake  Erie,  at  Ham- 

•  Kalk  spatli.    Werner.     Common  spar.    Kirwan.    Calo  spar, 
Jamison.     Chaux  carbonatfee  pure  spalhique.     Brongnalrt. 

Cleaveland. 

tSelenite.    Cleaveland.    Fraueneis.     Werner. 

J  The  sand  stone  of  Oswego,  has  been  employed  with  some 
success,  for  the  hearths,  and  lining  of  glaw  and  iron  founderies 
where  the  intense  degree  ofheai  employed,  ninders  the  discovery 
of  the  most  refractory  rocks,  an  objert  of  constant  solicitude.  In- 
tell.gent  manufacturers  will  see  th^  important  application  ot  geo- 
logical science,  in  tracing  the  formalions  of  rocks,  upon  which 
they  arc  any  wise  dependant,  into  the  vicinity  of  their  manufacto- 
rjes. 


41 

burgli,— on  Mud  Creek,  near  CanandaiRua— on  the 
outlet  of  Honeyoye,  and  Caneseua  Lak*3s,and  on  the 
Conostaga  fork  of  the  Genesee.*     At  the  three  lat- 
ter places,  it  is  80  highlj^  charged  tvith  bitumen,  as  to 
be  capable  of  supporting  combustion.     The  indam- 
mable  gas  of  the  burning  springs  of  Ontario,  and  the 
fountain  of  petroleum  of  Cattaraugus  county,  aflford 
additional  evidence  of  the  existence  of  carbon  and 
bitumen  in  the  shistose  rocks  of  the  Genesee,  and 
render    it  probable,    that    mineral .  coal,  the    dis- 
covery of  .which,  has  become  so  great  a  desidera- 
tum,  wiil  reward  the  future  researches  of  the  geolo- 
gist, and  the  miner  in  this  region.     The  secondary 
character  of  the  Genesee  slate,  is  particularly  appa- 
rent upon  the  banks  of  the  Cashong  creek,  in  Onta- 
rio county,  where  it  imbeds  various  species  of  cowJw- 
htes  and  erismatolites,  together  with  globular  masses 
of  granular  limestone.     Along  the  southern  borders 
of  Seneca  lake,  it  contains  numerous  impressions 
of  univalve  shells,  and  mollusca. 

The  surface  rock  of  this  region,  (limestone)  which 
IS  fetid  at  Niagara,  either  does  not  preserve  a  uni- 
form character,  or  is  succeeded  by  local  formations 
of  calcareous  carbonats,  of  various  character  and 
extent.  Thus,  it  is  compact  sheUy  (forming  a  shell 
marble,)  atWolcott,  in  Seneca  county,  and  at  Bath, 
in  Steuben  county;  while  the  greater  part  of  Onta- 
rio, Allegany,  Chautauque,  and  Genesee,  is  charac- 

*  For  several  of  these  localities,  I  am  indebted  to  the  ohserva- 
tions  of  Mr.  C.  K  Gu-rnsey,  of  Lima,  a  senlleman  whos.  hahi,, 
of  observation,  during  occasional  excursions  .hro„,h  (ha.  county, 
Irasied  h.m  to  notice  many  of  those  mineral  coincidences  and  appear. 

zTcoJ::^  ''''''^^''  ^^^"""'^^ '°  ^-^  ^'^ "-» ^-p- 

6 


f( 


m 


49 

terized  by  an  eartliy,  dull  grey,  compact  limeetonei 
ivliich  gives  out  no  odour  in  breaking,  contains 
ehells,  sparingly  imbedded,  and  burns  to  a  good 
quicklime.  It  is  in  this  formation,  that  the  gypsum 
beds  of  Caledonia,  Vienna,  and  Waterloo,  are  situ- 
ated ;  and  which,  also,  appears  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  sulphur  springs,  in  Farmington,*  and  the  beds 
of  lenticular  oxyd  of  iron,!  in  Palmyra,  Williamson, 

*  For  an  accoun'  of  these  springs,  see  a  Memoir,  by  J.  H. 
Bcdfieid,  in  the  2d  vol  of  the  Literary  and  Philosophical  Reper- 
tory. Also,  Dr.  Mitchill's  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  Mineral?, 
vol.  I.  p.S.     Bruce's  Mineralogical  Journal. 

t  During  the  session  of  the  legislature  of  New- York,  in  the  win- 
ter of  18^0,  a  li>an  of  j(10,000,  was  made  to  A.  Cole,  and  asso- 
ciates, to  enable  them  to  commence  the  manufacture  of  bar  iron, 
from  these  beds  of  ore ;  and  it  is  understood,  that  works  are 
now  in  operation,  at  which  a  very  malleable  iron  is  manufactured. 
According  to  an  analysis  of  this  -'re,  by  Professor  Eaton,  of  Bur- 
lington College,  (see  Eaton's  Geology,  p.  266,)  it  yields  thirty 
per  centum  of  metallic  iron,  and  the  ore  contains  petreiied  volutin 
tea,  small  and  well  characterized.  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Andrew' 
IVrNai),  of  Geneva,  for  the  following  interesting  account,  of  the 
locality  of  this  mineral,  aci-ompanied  by  specimens  of  the  ore* 
"  MEMORANDUM. 
"  LBnticular  ArgiUaceout  oxyd  of  Iron. 

**  TWO  VABIKTIKS. 

'    <'Vab.  1st AhnghtTtdyindiningtopurpU. — Is  found  in  the 

towns  of  Ontario,  Williamson,  Penfield,  and  Sodus,  in  Ontario 
county-  The  small  r'd  of  ir->n,  accompanying  it,  was  wrought 
from  this  ore,  at  forges  erected,  and  now  in  operation,  in  the  town 
of  Ontario.  The  ore  is  found  in  great  abundance,  (quantity  sup- 
posed to  he  inexhaustible)  in  a  strip  of  country,  about  a  mile  in 
width,  and  midway  between  the  Ridge  (Niagara)  Road,  and  the 
couth  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  which  are  about  an  average  of  four 
miles  apart,  and  nearly  parallel  with  each  other.  The  ore  is 
found,  generally,  ai  ihe  depth  of  thnse  to  five  feet  below  the  sur* 
jTace,  aud  appears  to  exteod  dowawards  a  considerable  depth — 


43 

and  Wolcott,  iti  Ontario  county.  In  the  town  of 
Caledonia  it  serves  as  the  basis,  to  several  varie- 
ties of  madrepores,  and  corrallines,  found  in  a  state 
ofpetrefaction,and  in  the  oak  openings  of  Niagara 
county,  it  incioses  nodules  of  homstone  *  This 
homstone,  is  also  found  among  the  debris,  of  the 
Falls  of  Niagara,  accompanied  by  radiated  quartz, 
rhomboidal  crystals  of  carbonate  of  lime,  foliated 
and  snowy  gypsum,  and  slight  traces  of  the  sul- 
pburet  of  zinc.f 

These  rocks,  (sandstone,  slate,  and  limestone) 

perhaps  10  te  15  feet,  growing  better  as  it  descends.     The  upper 
soil,  IS  a  reddish  sandy  loam-then  a  species  of  greenish  clay 
resting  upon  the  ore.     The  ore  is  sometimes  wrapt  up  in  insolated 
roundish  masses-sometimes  in  extended  ..cds,  similar  to  gypsuia 
beds  or  quarries".  6j»«"m» 

«f 'w  ?'!^7^  A«-*r«i,f«:«„i„ff  /.  brovm.^h  found  in  the  town 
of  Wolcott,  Seneca  county,  on  the  inlet  of  P.,rt  Bay.  at  the  same 
distance  from  Lake  Ontario,  and  lying  in  the  same  direction,  a.  'h. 

cLThrT^r'"';'-  "The  soil,  &c.  are  similar.  The  sp^ 
cimen  herewith  delivered,  was  taken  from  the  surface  of  the  Z 
bed,  which  hes  naked  at  the  bottom  of  the  stream  The  water 
has.  probably,  produced  the  difference  in  col.-ur,  whi.  h  exist, 
between  this  and  the  first  kind.  It  i,  believed,  that  there  is  a 
contmuationofthe  stratum  in  Omario.  extending  east  under  S^ 
dusBay  A  mile  or  two  south  of  the  ore.  up  stream,  there  is  a 
perpendicular  fall  of  40  feet,  over  a  bluish  slaty  rock  ;   rill  fur! 

il     r  '       ^'  V""'  •"'^^' "  «*  ''"°°'''  rock.'appar;ntly  i  I 
.tone   of  secondary  formation,  until  the  creek  cross^the  summit 
level,  (a  perfect  bc,g)  north  of  Cress  lake,  in  Galeu.»-£Jr/ra* 
from  a  Com.  by  A.  M'Nab,  Esq.  18/A  Oct.  1820. 

J.^"''T"'lf  ""Pt''^^  ^'-  '^'*''''"'  •"  »"*«  Descriptive  Cata- 


t  Blende.  Black-jack.  Paeudo-gal 


enao 


44 

however  their  properties  may  be  found  modified,  by 
future  di»(:overieii»  will  probahlv  be  found,  with  a 
proper  allowance  lor  local  foruiations,  and  distur- 
bances, to  pervade  all  ihnl  section  of  country,  which 
lies  between  the  iNiu{;ara  and  Seneca  riverB,--between 
Lakes  Ontarid  and  Seneca, — and  between  the  Alle- 
gat  y  river  and  the  aouth  shore  of  Lake  Krie,  as  gene- 
ral boundaries.  All  this  section  of  country,  aj^pears  to 
be  undf  flayed  by  a  stratum  of  red  ^an<l  ^tone,  such 
as  appears  at  the  Genesee  Falls,  but  which  is  im- 
bedded at  various  depths,  as  the  country   happens 
to  be  elevated  above,  or  depressed  below  the  h'vel 
of  the  Niagara  stratum,  in  which  no  inclination,  is 
visil)le.*      No  order  of  stratification,   could   hove 
beejuiflected  by  nature,  which  would  have  alforded 
greater  faeililies,  to  the  wasting  elfects  of  Ihlling  v\a- 
ler,  so  visible  at  these  Falls.  The  slate  which  sepa- 
rates the  calcareous  from  the  sand  stoie  rock,  by  a 
stratum  of  nearly  forty  feet  in  t.'nckness,  is  continual- 
ly frett-ing  away,  and  undermining  the  snporificum- 
I'ent  stratum  of  limestone,  which  is  thus  precipitated 

*I  fiiitl  th«»s<»  olisorvalions,  on  tlui  floetu  rorks  f  the  ''"neset 
country,  cuiroboralpd  l>y  those  of  an  ncouinl»»  nhserver  of  gpolo- 
{riral  appcnranops  Saiinifl  M.  llupkins,  F,sq.  of  Genesee,  who,  iu 
Lis  A('  'ress,  beHTe  the  A<;ri«-uluiral  Society  of  that  county,  (I8iy) 
uiid  in  allusion  to  .he  horiz'ntnl  powition  of  the  rock  strata,  says: 
'*  Tliisis  not  the  only  circuuis-lance,  in  the  jroolosy  of  tliis  coun- 
try, whicli,  accorciin<;  to  the  iniperfe- 1  notU)n8  of  tlie  writer,  is 
very  reinarkable.  Not  only  does  the  whole  It.vcl  ciuntry.  seem  to 
liavebeen  once  cov<»re(l  by  nkes,  hut  the  deep  chasms,  whi<-h  are 
formed  l)y  the  Niagara,  and  other  falls,  disclose  facts  which 
would  seem  to  prove,  that  the  wliole  sub  stratum,  for  several  hun- 
dred feej  oeneath  those  foriaer  lakes,  has  undergone  successive 
chanjros,  by  the  action  of  water.  These  appearanr-es,  would  well 
repay  the  labour  of  the  geologitt,  who  would  investigate  them."— 
Plvtigh  Boy,  vol.  I.  p.  372. 


-I  I 


46 

in  prodigious  masses,  into  the  abyss  below.    The 
most  considerable  occurrence  of  fhis  kind,  that  has 
recentlytakenplace,  is,  thatofthe  Table  Rock*  on 
the  Canadian  shore,  which  fell  durnig  the  summer 
of  1818,  disclosing  a  number  of  those  cryHtallized 
Bubttances,  which  have  already  been  alluded  to.— 
By  these  means,  the  falls,  which  are  supposed  by 
the  most  intelligent  visitors,  to  have  been  anciently 
seated  at  Lewiston,  have  progressed  seven  miles  up 
the  river,  cntting  a  trench  through  the  solid  rock 
which  IS  about  half  a  ^ile  in  width,  and  two  hundred 
feet  in  depth,  exclusive  of  what  is  hidden  by  tl  e 
water    The  power,  capable  of  effecting  such  a  won- 
derful  change  still  exists,  a,.d  moy  be  supposed  to 
operate  with  undiminished  activity.     The  wasting 
eflects  of  the  water,  and  the  yielding  nature  of  the 
rocks,  remain  the  ^ame,  and  manifest  the  slow  pro- 
cess of  a  change,  at  the  present  period,  as  to  posi- 
tion, height,  form,  division  of  column  and  other  cha- 
racters, which  form  the  outlines  of  the  great  scene: 
and  this  change  is  sprobably  sufficiently  rapid  in  its 
operation,  if  minute  observations  were  taken,  to  im- 
print a  different  character  upon  the  Falls,  at  the  close 
of  every  century.     Nothing  in  the  examination  of 
the  geological  constitution,  and  mineral  strata  of  our 
continent,  conveys  a  mere  striking  illustration  of  its 
remote  antiquity,  (still  doubted  by  many)    than  a 
consideration  of  the  time,  it  must  have  required  for 
the  waters  of  Niagara,  to  have  worn  their  channel, 
for  such  an  immense  distance,  through  the  rock,     it 

*  The  Table  ftock,  was  a  favourite  polm  of  view  formally 
years,  and  the  day  precedi,..  ,he  night  on  which  it  fell  ZZZ 
^e..do..n.se,.n„„^^^^ 


46 


is  true,  we  are  in  possession  of  no  certain  data,  for 
f  stimnting  the  annual  rate  of  their  progress,  or  for 
comparing  the  results  with  the  Mosaic  history  of  the 
earth.  All  that  can  be  presumed  is,  that  this  pro- 
gress, is  now  as  rapid,  as  it  was  in  former  ages.  The 
discovery  of  these  Falls  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  made,  until  an  hundred  and  eighty-six  years  af- 
ter the  first  visit  of  Columbus  to  the  American  con- 
tinent in  1492,  or  a  hundred  and  eighty  years  aAer 
the  discovery  of  North  America  by  Cabot,  in  1497. 
I  assume  the  period  of  La  Salle's  visit,  in  1678,  as 
the  basis  of  these  deductions,  but  my  opportunities 
of  research,  do  not  allow  me  to  state  with  certainty 
that  he  was  the  first  visitor,  who  has  furnished  a 
printed  account  of  them.  He  was  followed  by  La 
Hontan,  in  1(}83,  and  by  the  Jesuit,  Charlevoix,  in 
1721  ;  but,  they  give  no  accounts  which  are  suffi- 
ciently precise,  to  enable  us  to  determine  what 
changes  have  since  taken  place  in  the  aspect  of  the 
Falls.  It  was  not,  il^deed,  until  aller  the  dismem- 
berment of  the  Iroquois  confederacy,  that  the  path  to 
the  Falls,  was  opened  to  the  English  Colonies,  the 
date  of  whose  unmolested  intercourse  with  this  region, 
cannot,  however,  precede  that  of  the  ratification  of 
the  definitive  treaty  of  peace,  with  Great  Britain,  in 
1784.  It  is,  therefore,  only  thirty-six  years,  since  it 
has  been  the  free  and  fashionable  resort  of  all  sec- 
tions of  the  Union.  Maps  and  descriptions  are  now 
extant,  which  will  enable  us  to  fix  the  rate  of  its 
progress,  on  the  expiration  of  the  present  century, 
and  we  should  not  be  disappointed  in  our  anticipa- 
tions, if  its  progress  is  found,  greatly  to  exceed  the 
prevalent  expectation.  To  aid  in  the  determina- 
tion, the  Island  of  Iris,  which  extends  from  the  brink 


4T 

•f  the  Fall,  up  tho  river,  and  which  is  now  connected 
v>'ththe«liortN  by  a  wooden  bridge,  appears  to  pre- 
sent great  facilities.     A  simple  incasureinent  of  its 
length,  with  a  monument  for  recording  it  at  itd  head 
would  convert  it  into  a  graduated  scale,   and   the 
point  ot  the  indentation  of  the  Horse  Shoe  Fall,  could, 
in  like  manner,  be  perpetuated  on  either  shore,  by  a 
series  of  corresponding  celestial  observations,  for  de- 
termuiing  the  longitude  of  the  extreme  point  of  that 
incurvation.      Distant  ages  would  thus  be  furnished 
with  data,  the  precision  of  which,  would  probably 
enable  them  to  throw  new  and  important  lights  on. 
the  history  of  the  earth,  and  the  changes  it  has  uu- 
dergone.     Is  this  suggestion  of  too  visionary  a  na- 
ture,  to  merit  the  consideration  of  geological  soci- 
eties?  ° 

On   the  third  of  May,  I  returned  to  Buffalo,  and 
found  the  lake  rapidly  discharging  its  ice,  which  had 
been  recently  broken  up  by  the  wind.    On  the  sixth, 
I  embarked  on  board  the  Steam-Boat,*  which  left 
Black  Rock  at  nine  in  the  morning,  and  reached  De- 
troit  on  the  e,.  hth  at  twelve  at  night.     We  were  ta- 
voured  with  clear  weather,   and  a  part  of  the  time 
with   a  fair  wind.      The  Boat  is  large,  uniting  i„ 
Its  construction  a  great  degree  of  strength,  con- 
vemence,  and  elegance,  and  is  propelled  by  a  pow- 
erful  and  well  cast  engine,  on  the  Fultonian  plan;  and 
one  of  the  best  pieces  of  workmanship  of  the  orl^- 

*  Called  the  <«  Walk-in-the.Wnf«r  »>  t  d  j 
mrodu.  Hon  of  S.,,m.BMU  upon  ih,  H„d,„„,  .„d  is9  ,e.„  .f. 


^8 

al  foundry.*  The  accommodations  of  the  boat  are 
all  that  could  be  wished,  and  nothing  occured  to  in- 
terrupt the  delight,  which  a  passage  at  this  season, 
affords.  The  distance  is  computed  at  three  hundred 
miles ;  the  time  we  employed  in  the  voyage  was  six- 
ty-two hours,  which  gives  an  average  rate  of  travel- 
ling of  five  miles  per  hour.  The  first  two  miles  after 
leaving  Black  Rock,  a  very  heavy  rapid  is  encoun- 
tered, in  ascending  which,  the  assistance  of  oxen  is 
required.  It  terminates  a  short  distance  below  the 
mouth  of  Buffalo  creek,  and  immediately  opposite 
the  village  of  Buffalo,  where  we  find  ourselves  on 
the  level  of  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie  five  hundred  and 
sixty  feet  above  the  tide  waters  of  the  Hudson  river-t 
In  passing  through  Lake  Erie,  the  Boat  touches  at 
the  town  of  Erie,  in  Pennsylvania,  at  the  mouth  of 
Grande  River,  and  at  the  towns  of  Cleaveland  and 
Portland,  in  Ohio,  the  latter  situated  on  Sandusky 
Bay.  On  coming  out  of  this  Bay,  we  passed  a  large 
and  well  wooded  island,  which  bears  the  name  of 
Cuuninghatn,  and  immediately  came  in  sight  of  the 
rocky  cluster  of  the  Put-in-Bay  or  Bass  Islands  | 

•  M'Queen's,  New- York. 

t  See  Report  of  the  Ntw  York  Canal  Commissioners,  to  the 
Legisslatiire,  accompanieu  with  a  chart. 

I  "  The  Bass  islands  f  rm  a  group  of  seven,  lying  about  three 
niiit'sfrom  part  of  the  Sandusky  peninsula,  and,  as  I  have  already 
observed,  seven  or  eight  miles  northwest  of  Cunningham's  island. 
Put-in-bay,  is  formed  by  a  curve  of  the  largest  and  most  southern 
of  the  Bass  groups,  liaving  two  entrances,  one  from  the  east  and 
the  other  from  the  west.  The  bay  is  very  Bnely  land-Jocked.  The 
second  large  island  of  tlie  group,  stretching  from  east  to  west 
across  the  widest  part  at  half  a  mile  di3tant,aud  one  of  the  smaller 
islands  lying  opposite  each  channel.  The  three  main  islands  do 
not  ditfer  mucli  in  extent,  though  that  in  which  is  Pui-in-bay  is  'he 
largest.  All  are  uninhabited,  and  covered  with  n  dense  forest.  I 
had  no  means  to  determine  their  area  with  certainty,  but  judged 


onerst  to  lb* 


4» 

winch  afford  one  of  the  be.e  harbours  in  the  lake 
and  have  acquired  .ome  celebritv  fr„™  the  circum 
.tance  of  Co».  Perr/a  having  been  atTnchorTe"; 
on  the  morning  previou.  to  the  memorabL  vilry 

the  three  main  islandi  to  average  about  one  and  .  hoir    -,     , 
and  half  a  -!e  .Ide.  and  n.a,1over  1^2^  "  "^^f '  '«>"<?» 
ken  collectively,  resting  upon  a  solid  mas.  ofSoseTcl,    "  "** 
partlimestone     Fromhere  limestone,  for  the  1;^^^^^ 
hme, ,«  carried  as  far  as  Detroit  and  CJeavelanS     tT      ?f  '"* 
ceilent  and  would  admit  a  -ettlemen    of  tS  11^^' 
hes.     Buf  every  object  of  utility  to  which  the  B-«  T  T^    """* 
applied,  yields  to  the  importance  of  P  til  b^f    t^s  ^        '" 
admits  entrance  and  anchorage  for  veLu^f  .  '"''*''* 

d.^ught,.afe  from  all  winds.     It  IVbecome  f    "^  •'"^P'''*'''* 
and  depth  of  water  an  ohior,  «f        .       •       "  '  '^°'"  "»  Pos'tioa 

in  ^<''^'-.'.oX\::^:'j^'^:zii^'!^; .  ^°'""»» 

I  troit,  p.  185,  186.  ^  -rariyV  r^wr  to  jDe. 

■..at™ii;x:r:.rparLr  r """"- 

ly  been  discovered.  ^  Strontian,  has  recent- 

i  Hied  by  Maj  Delufield  Mr  A  ^k  ^  *  ''°"*  ""^  accompa- 

I  was  to  be  oi  J:tZt^':^^^^^^^^^^  «-^  (-"o 

shore,  where  Mr.  De  Russv  sav,   .         i      "°"^"'"  *°  '*>«  •»«>» 

^819.    Aftera„un.ucce2l  T'L  ^  ^T** '"  '''«  •""""««•  of 

Neterminod  to  return  oo^^l^n  "o  '""•■'  "^  ^^*  '^  "^  -<^ 

Moss  Island,  when  immediately  InT.-        """^  ""^  ''"^P^^  »« 

(in  question,^,  wandered  a  mlf^lL"^'  ""  '"'""'^ '"«  """«'»' 

fq»ant,.ie,,  and  ««•  large  cry.tah.  *""^''"'"''*  '"«* 


) 


of  the  tenth  of    Septcmhers    1813.     We  paswd 
through  this  cluster,  and  another,  callea  the  Three 
Sisters,  which  lie  in  the  Steam-Boat  track  between 
Put-in-Bay  and  the  mouth  of  Detroit  river,  and  en- 
tered the  latter  at  twilight  on  the  eighth.     We  had 
a  view  of  the  Fort  and  town  of  Maiden  or  Amherst- 
burff,  which  lie  a  few  miles  above  the  entrance  into 
the  river,  and  immediately  opposite  the  fertile  islands 
of  Bois  Blanc  and  Grosse  Isle.    These  were  the  last 
nbiects  that  could  be  distinguished;  the  night  waj 
dark,   and  we  reached  Detroit  at  a  late  hour,  and 

'  «  This  Stromlan  wasibund  on  the  south  .ide  ^l^o^^^^l^ 
a  hovizontal  vein  of  three  feel  in  thickness,  and  from  40  to  50  feet 
f„  ength.  I  had  no  mean,  of  judging  it.  depth  into  the  rock,  the 
t.!e  of  the  Island  is  wholly  -pact  hmestone  .n  wh.ch  sh^^ 
scarcely,  if  ever  appear.  The  commws.oner  (Gen.  P.  B.  Porter, 
aclg  unier  the  treaty  of  Ghent.  H.  K.  S.)  has  given  h«  perm,^ 
^on  Ld  I  •hall  name  thi.  Island  on  the  maps, "  Stront.an  Island,' 
bj  which  name  I  presume  it  will  hereafter  be  known 

The  san.e  substance  had  been  found  upon  an-  ther  part  of  this  .si- 
and  (a  ppears  from  Eaton's  Geology,  p.  234.)  by  the  gentlemen 
Attached  Lthe  boundary  commission,  during  the  preceding  year, 
but  not  in  the  surprising  quantity  above  stated.  Professor  Doug, 
fa^of  Vest  Point,  ar.d  my.elf,  ha.e  also  noticed  .t  upon  Grosse 
sSi.  Detroit  river/m  the  monthof  May,l820  but  found  nocrys. 

tlu  of  more  than  a  few  ounces  in  weight.  We  found  «t ».".«?  con- 
^vities  in  a  horizontal  stratum  of  compact  ^^-^^^^^^^  ^Tlt 
^JJ^l  "mains.  This  locality  is  a  «tone  quarry,  wh.ch  has  been 
nen  d  on  t  1  lands  of  Mis8  A.  M'Con.b  of  Detroit,  and  from 
Xch  a  grelt  proportion  of  the  b^ildin.  .tone  of  that  c.ty  . 

''Trom  these  facts  it  appears,  that  this  mineraVhitherto  so  very 
soar  nl  found  either  in  Europe  or  America,  exists  abundantly  m 
r'^gl^^^^^  t'-  head  of  Lake  Erie,  and  should  the  progress 
If  the  arts  require  it,  it  is  probable  that  the  compact  hmes  one  of 
lErllTDetroi;  I.lanSs,  may  hereafter  be  found  to  yield  a  suf- 
ftcient  and  lasting  supply-  ^ 


Without  nn  opportunity  of  then  witnessing  the  pictur-: 
csque  view,  which  the  approach  to  that  town,  and 
the  country  adjacent,  presents. 

r.etroit  occupies  an  eh'gible  situation  on  the  west 
banks  of  the  strait  that  connects  Lake  Erie  with  Lake 
St.  Clair,  at  the  distance  of  six  miles  below  the  latter, 
and  in  north  latitude  42*  30'  according  to  the  receiy- 
od  observation.  The  town  consists  of  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  houses,  including  public  buildings,* 
and  has  a  population  of  fourteen  hundred  and  fifteea 
inhabitants,  exclusive  of  the  garrison.f    It  enjoys  the 

•  The  following:  is  a  list  of  the  public  buildings  of  Detroit  : 

1.  A  Roman  Catholic  church,  ll6  feet  in  length,  by  6o  in  breatk 
— ^is  no  feet  high  with  two  steeples,  has  a  chapel  under  ground  6S 
feet  by  60,  originally  designed  for  a  nunnery.  Building— of  stone 
and  not  entirely  finished. 

2.  A  Protestant  Church,  built  of  wood,  painted  and  furnished 
with  a  dome  supported  by  wooden  pillars 

3.  An  Academy  of  brick— is  50  feet  long,  by  24  in  breath. 

4.  A  Penitentiary— is  built  of  stone,  two  stories  high,  and  88  feet 
I>y  44  on  the  ground. 

5.  The  Council  house— occupied  by  the  Indian  deparUnent,  fa 
built  of  stone  27  feet  by  30. 

6.  The  banking  house  of  the  bank  of  Michigan,  S6  feet  square, 
two  stories  high,  built  of  brick. 

7.  A  market  house,  60  by  SO. 

8.  Government  store-house— of  brick,  100  feet  by  40. 

^^^T^^l  ^"^"*'-'''  *0  ^y  38.  two  stories  high,  built  of  stone. 

10.  The  Ordnance  store-house,  a  spacious  stone  building. 

11.  To  these  may  be  added  Fort  Shelby,  which  stands  in  the 
town,  and  the  adjoining  barracks,  capable  of  quartering  several  re- 
giments.  " 

t  This  is  the  result  of  the  census  of  1820,  for  the  comraunic*. 

t.on  of  which,  together  with  the  greater  part  of  the  details  I  publish 

respecimgmcdem  Detroit,!  have  to  acknowledge  my  obligationa 

0  James  D.  Doty,  E.q.  attorney  at  law,  of  that  place,  and  one  of 

(he  member,  of  the  late  expediUon  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi. 


rwfc 


'K'!l 


i 


i 
I 


52 

advantages  of  a  regular  plan,  spacious  streets,  and  a 
handsome  elevation  of  about  forty  feet  above  the  riv- 
er, of  which  it  commands  the  finest  views.  Very  few 
of  the  French  antiquated  buildings  remain.     There 
are  several  buildings  of  brick  and  stone,  but  the 
greatest  number  are  painted  wooden  dwellings,  in  the 
style  of  architecture,  which  is  prevalent  in  the  wes- 
tern parts  of  the  state  of  New-York.     An  air  of  taste 
and  neatness  is  thus  thrown  over  the  town,  which  su- 
peradded to  its  elevated  situation,  the  appearances 
of  an  active  and  growing  commerce,   the  bustle  of 
mechanical  business,  its  moral  institutions,*  and  the 
local  beauty  of  the  site,  strikes  us  with  a  feeling  of 
surprise  which  is  the  more  gratifying  as  it  was  not 
anticipated. 

The  site  of  Detroit  was  occupied  by  an  Indian  vil? 
lage,  called  Teuchsagrondie^-fwhen  first  visited  by  the 
French ;  and  among  the  singularities  of  its  history, 
we  find  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  European 
settlements  in  the  interior  of  the  new  world,  havino- 
been  a  stopping  place  for  the  Couriers  du  Bois  and 

*  Societies  at  Detroit. 

1.  The  Lyceum  of  the  city  of  Detroit.    Its  object  is  the  oulliva- 
lion  of  general  science  andliteralure.     Its  meetings  are  popular. 

2.  A  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Agriculture. 

3.  A  Mechanics'  Society. 

4.  A  Bible  Society. 

5.  Chapter  of  Royal  Arch  Masons. 

6.  Masters' Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 
7'  A  Moral  and  Humane  Society. 

8.  A  Sunday  School  Association. 

There  are  two  catholic,  a  nrolestant  and  a  methodist  clergyman. 

12  attornies,  and  8  physicians. 

t  Coldcn's  History  of  the  Five  NatioM, 


93 

Jesuit  Missionams,  as  early  as  1620.     Quebec  was 
founded  in  1608  ;  Albany,  1614.  The  New-England 
Pilgrims  landed  at  Plymouth,  in  1 620.     Regular  set- 
tlements  do  not  appear,  howeter,  to  have  been  made 
at  Detroit  until  the  commencement  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  Charlevoix,  who  landed  here  in  June,  1 721 
found  it  the  site  of  a  French  Fort  called  Ponchar- 
U-am,  under  the  command  of  La  Salle's  Lieutenant,  M, 
Tonti.    He  speaks  of  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  the 
country,  in  terms  of  the  highest  admiration,    «  It  is 
pretended,"  he  says,  "  that  this  is  the  finest  portion  of 
all  Canada,  and  really,  if  we  may  judge  by  appearan- 
ces,  nature  seems  to  have  refused  it  nothing  that  can 
contribute  to  make  a  country  delightful ;  hills,  mea- 
dows,  fields,  lofty  forests,  rivulets,  fountains,  and  riv- 
ers,  and  all  of  them  so  excellent  in  their  kind,   and 
so  happily  blended,  as  to  equal  the  most  romantic 
wishes.    The  lands,  however,  are  not  all  equally 
proper  for  every  sort  of  grain,  but  in  general  are  of 
a  wonderful  fertility,  and  I  have  known  some  pro- 
duce  good  wheat  for  eighteen  years  in  successL, 
without  any  manure.    The  islands  seem  placed  in 
the  river  on  purpose  to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the 
prospect ;  the  river  and  lake  abound  in  fish,  the  air 
ispure,  and  the  climate  temperate  and   extremely 
wholesome.'-    There  were  then  three  bands  of  In- 
dians  locatedupon  the  west  banks  of  the  strait,  be- 
tween  lakes  Erie  and  St.  Clair.     The  first  on  ascend- 
ing,  consisted  of  the  Dionondadies.t  a  band  of  Wy. 
•  Charlevolx'3  Journal  of  a  Voyage  to  N.  Awerica,  vol.  II,  p.  6. 

t  Called  Tionontatez  by  Charlevoix,  ^nd  A  mihouis  bv  (he 
French  generally,  but  I  foil,,  the  orthography  of  Colden. 


tndots,*  having  high  pretensions  to  ancestry,  and 
who  were  considered  the  radical  stockof  the  Wyan- 
dot tribe.t    Between  these  and  Fort  Ponchartrain, 
there  was  a  settlement  of  Pottawattomies,  and  be- 
yond the  fort  along  the  banks  of  Lake  St.  Clair,  the 
Ottaways  held  possession.    Charlevoix  alludes  to 
the  labours  of  former  missionaries  among  them,  who 
appear  to  have  been  most  successful  with  the  Hurons, 
but  of  the  French  settlement  which  is  stated  to  be 
of  fifteen  years  standing,  he  adds,  that  "  it  has  been 
reduced  almost  to  nothing,"  and  points  out  to  the 
Dutchess  de  Lesdiguieres,  to  whom  his  letters  are 
addressed;  the  advantages  that  New  France  would 
derive  from  a  permanent  settlement  at  that  place. 

The  history  of  Detroit,  during  this  early  period 
is  that  of  the  territory  of  which  it  is  now  the  capital. 
It  was  noted  throughout  the  earliest  settlements  of 
the  colonies,  as  the  rendezvous  of  the  Couriers  du 
Bois,  and  the  mart  where  the  remote  tribes  of  the 
North  and  West,  called  collectively  the  Far  f  ndiansj 
by  early  writers,  exchanged  their  peltries  for  Euro- 
pean manufactures  ;  and  when  the  fall  of  Quebec 
and  Montreal  in  1759,  added  the  Canadas  to  the  Bri- 
tish crown,  Detroit  was  a  considerable  French  vil- 
lage, defended  by  a  stockaded  fort,  and  surrounded 


•  Called  Hurons  by  the  French.  Quatoghies,  by  the  Iroquois 
and  English.  This  is  one  of  the  few  Indian  tribes  in  the  U.  S. 
who  are  called  by  the  name  which  they  have  bestowed  upon  them- 
selves as  a  nation. 

t  The  council  fire  of  this  tribe,  which  is  always  the  rallying 
point  among  our  savages,  is  understood  to  be  still  fixed  at  the 
place  indicated  by  Charlevoix^s  the  residence  of  the  Dionondadies, 
viz.  at  Browntovvn,  at  the  mouth  of  Detrtit  river. 

J  Colden's  Tive  Nations. 


w 


ivith  a  farming  population.  In  the  year  1763,*(coq- 
taining  then  a  British  garrison  of  three  hundred  men, 
under  Major  Gladwyn)  it  was  besieged  by  a  confed- 
eracyt  of  Indian  tribes  under  Pontiac,  an  OttawayJ 
chief,  who  displayed  such  a  boldness  in  his  designs, 
such  skill  in  negociation,  and  such  personal  courage 
in  war,  as  to  justify  us  in  considering  him  one  of  the 
greatest  men  which  have  ever  appeared  among  the 
Indian  tribes  of  North  America.^  He  was  the  deci- 
ded and  constant  enemy  of  the  British  government 
and  excelled  all  his  cotemporaries  in  both  mental 
and  bodily  vigour.  His  conspiracy  for  making  him- 
self master  of  the  town  of  Detroit,and  destroying  the 
garrison,  although  frustrated,  is  a  masterpiece  among 

*  Carver  places  the  date  of  Pontiac's  sie^e,  in  1762,  but  I  have 
followed  Henry,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  army  of  Gen.  Brad- 
street,  which  marched  to  the  relief  of  the  Fort  in  1764.  He  says 
the  siege  had  then  been  continued  nearly  twelve  months  and  must 
•onsequenily  have  began  in  1763. 

Henry's  Travels  emd  AdventuresHn  Canada,  and  the  LtHan  Ttr- 
ritories  httvoun  the  years  176O  and  1776. 

t  The  tribes  composing  this  confederacy  were  the  Miamis,  OU 
taways.  Chippeways,  Wyandots,  Pottawatames,  Mississagas^ 
Sihawnese,  Ottagamies  and  Winnebagoes. 

J  Pontiac  is  considered  by  Carver  as  a  Miami ;  but  those  per- 
sons best  acquainted  with  the  subject  at  Detroit,  among  whom  is 
the  presentchief  magistrate  of  the  Michigan  Territory,  consider 
him  to  have  been  an  Ottaway. 

<^  There  is  but  a  single  individual  in  the  history  of  aboriginal 
chiefs  who  will  bear  a  comparison  with  Pontiac.  This  is  Tecum- 
seh,  (a  name  still  fresh  in  every  body's  recollection,)  who,  by 
his  extraordinary  powers,  both  of  mind  and  body,  formed  a  confed- 
eration of  the  same  Indian  tribes,  under  the  British  standard,whom 
Pontiac  had  formerly  led  against  it. 


J 


m 


Ik 
I 
It 


Indian  stratagems  ;  and  his  victory  over  the  British 
troops,  at  the  battle  of  Bloody  Bridge,  stands  unpar- 
alleled in  the  history  of  Indian  wars,  for  the  decision 
and  steady  courage  by  which  it  was,  in  an  open  fight, 
achieved.* 

•  I  cannot  resist  the  inclination  I  feel  of  giving  in  this  place,  an 
extract  from  the  interesting  account  which  Carver  has  given  of  the 
life  ai)d  war  of  this  extraordinary  chief 

"  The  town  of  Detroit,  when  Pontiac  formed  his  plan,  was  gar- 
risoned by  about  three  hundred  men,  cominanded  by  Major  Glad- 
win, a  gallant  officer.  As  at  that  time  every  appearance  of  war 
was  at  an  end,  and  the  Indiana  aeemed  to  be  on  a  friendly  footing, 
Pontiac  approached  the  Fort,  without  exciting  any  suspicions  in 
the  breast  of  the  governor  or  the  inhabitants.  He  encamped  at  a 
little  distance  from  it,  and  sent  to  let  the  commandant  know  that 
he  was  come  to  trade ;  and  being  desirous  of  brightening  the 
chain  of  peace  between  the  English  and  his  nation,  desired  that  he 
and  his  chiefs  might  be  admitted'to  hold  council  with  him.  The ' 
governor  still  unsuspicious,  and  not  ?n  the  least  doubting  the  since* 
rity  of  the  Indians,  granted  their  general's  request,  and  fixed  or 
the  next  morning  for  their  reception. 

"  The  evening  of  that  day,  an  Indian  woman  who  had  been  em- 
ployed by  Major  Gladwyn,  to  make  him  a  pair  of  Indian  shoes,  out 
of  curious  elk-skin,  brought  them  home.  The  Major  was  so  pleas- 
ed with  them,  that,  intending  these  as  a  present  for  a  friend,  he 
ordered  her  to  take  the  remainder  back, and  make  it  into  others  for 
hiiJ!self.  He  then  directed  his  servant  to  pay  her  for  those  she  had 
done,  and  dismissed  her.  The  woman  went  to  the  door  that  led 
to  the  street,  but  no  further;  she  there  loitered  about  as  if  she  had 
not  finished  the  business  on  which  she  came.  A  servant  at  length 
observed  her,  and  asked  her  why  she  staid  there  j  she  gave  him, 
however,  no  answer. 

'''Some  short  time  after,  the  governor  himself  saw  her;  and  en- 
qoired  of  his  servant  what  occasioned  her  stay.  JNot  being  able 
to  get  a  satisfactory  answer,  he  ordered  the  woman  to  be  cal. 
led  in.  When  she  came  into  his  presence  he  desired  to  know 
what  was  the  reason  of  her  loitering  about,  and  not  hastening  home 
before  the  gales  were  shut,  that  she  might  complete  in  due  time  the 


57 

The  siege  of  Detroit  was  continued  by  Pontiac 
for  nearly  twelve  months  together,  during  which  time 
the  garrison,  although  gallantly  defended  by  the  Bri. 
tish  commandant,  had  suffered  severely,  and  the  con. 
federate  Indians  had  been  frequently  on  the  point  oi 

work  he  had  civ  en  her  to  do.    She  told  bin,,  after . ...h  hesitalion 
hat  a,  he  had  always  behaved  with  great  goodness  to.'Td    her" 

he  put  .0  great  a  value  upon  it ;  and  yet  had  not  been  able  to  nr^ 
va.l  upon  her^lf  to  tell  bin.  so.     He  fhen  a.k.d  her,  why  she  wa 
inore  reluctant  to  do  so  now,  than  she  had  been  when  she  Jd« 
the  former  pair.     With  increased   reluctance  .he  -  ;.wered  that 
«he  never  should  be  able  to  bring  them  back  -»*«f«d,  that 

"  H,8  curiosity  being  now  excited,  he  insisted  on  herdisclosincr ,. 
h.™  the  .e.ret  that  seemed  to  be  struggling  i„  her  b^lm ^ 
tcrance.  At  last,  on  receiving  a  promise  that  the  intelligence  she 
was  about  to  give  him  should  not  turn  to  her  prejudice  aTtSat 
fit  appeared  to  be  benefic-al  she  should  be  rewarded  V^.  i, 
informed  him,  that  at  the  council  to  be  held  l  th  ^hel  H  '  "u* 
folbwing  day.  Pontiac  and  hi.  chief!  ^1:^^^:^"^:^'. 

e"  ihtow^'irrr  '''  '"'-'"  '"'^  'nhabitTr;  ptn! 
admitted;  thltti  JlZn^Tr c^:.  t  •  tut  t  ^^^^ '°  '^ 
they  could  conceal  them  under  thtir^lalt^  w  tt:  ict  T. 
signal  g.ven  by  their  general,  on  delivering  thl  bdt  .he^ 
were  all  to  rise  up,  and  in.tantlv  in  fir-  „„  i,-         ]  .  '    *"*^ 

same  manner      H  "^"^«  «'  trading,  but   priAately   armed  in  the 

.c,...  a  .„„„ea,,  „f  r^ir  zz  r:,^,, -^roH:™ 

8 


6H 

carrying  the  town  hy  assault  At  length  the  a|,- 
pmach  of  Gen.  Bradstreet,  with  3000  men,*  s«ruck 
the  Indians  with  consternation,  a.)d  they  met  him 
with  oflferd  of  peace  at  Miami  Bay.  A  few  days  at- 
terwtrds,  on  the  eighth  of  August,  1764,  he  arrived 

aidering  the  information  as  a  story  invented  for  some  artOil  pur- 
poses, advised  him  to  pay  no  attention  to  it  This  conclusion  ho.v- 
ever  had  happily  no  weight  with  him.  He  thousrhf  it  prudent  to 
conclude  it  to  he  true,  till  lie  was  convinced  that  it  was  not  so  j 
and  therefore,  without  revealing  his  suspici'.iis  to  any  ether  person, 
he  took  every  net'dful  precaution  that  the  time  would  ad  i  it  of. 
He  waliced  round  the  fort  during  the  whole  ni-pht,  and  saw  himself 
that  every  centinel  was  on  duty,  and  every  weapon  of  defence  in 
proper  order. 

"  As  he  traversed  the  ramparts  which  lay  nearest  to  the  Indtaa 
camp,  he  heard  them  in  high  festivity,  Und,  little  imagining  that 
their  plot  was  discovered,  probably  pleasing  themselves  with  the 
anticipation  of  their,  success.  As  soon  as  the  morning  dawned,  he 
ordered  all  the  garrison  underarms  ;  and  then  imparting  his  ap« 
prehensions  to  a  few  of  the  principal  officers,  gave  them  such  di.. 
rections  as  ho  thought  necessary.  At  the  same  time  he  sent  round 
to  all  the  traders,  to  inform  them,  '>hat  as  it  was  expected  a  great* 
number  of  Indians  would  enter  iht  lown  that  day,  who  might  be  in. 
dined  to  plunder,  he  desired  they  would  have  their  arms  ready, 
and  repel  every  attempt  of  that  kind. 

*  About  ten  o'clock,  Pontia<>  and  his  chiefs  arrived  j  and  were  con- 
ducted to  the  council-chamber,  where  the  governor  and  his  princi- 
pal officers,  each  with  pistols  in  their  belt,  await'd  his  arrival.  As 
the  Indians  passed  on,  they  could  not  help  observing  that  a  greater 
number  of  troops  than  usual  were  drawn  up  on  the  parade,  or 
marching  about  No  sooner  were  they  entered,  and  seated  on  tfie 
skins  prept>red  for  them,  than  Pontiac  asked  the  governor  on  what 
occasion  his  young  men,  meaning  the  soldiers,  were  thus  drawn  up, 
and  parading  the  streets.  He  received  for  answer,  that  it  was 
only  intended  to  keep  them  perf'.ct  in  their  exercise. 

"  The  Indian  chief-warrior  now  began  his  speech,  which  contain, 
cd  the  strongest  professions  of  friendship  and  good  will  towards 

*  Henry's  Travels,  p.  182. 


at  Detroit,  and  a  general  peace  ensued.  Pontiac, 
unable  to  control  the  events  of  a  war  in  wliich  he  sair 
Jiimself  deserted  by  numbers  of  his  followers,  and  un- 
willing to  live  on  terms  of  friendship  with  a  people 
to  whom  he  had  imbibed  an  early  hatred,  the  conse- 
quence of  his  attachment  to  the  French,  fled  to  Illi- 
nois, M  here  he  afterwards  paid  the  price  of  his  en- 
mity with  his  life.* 

the  English ;  and  when  he  came  to  the  delivery  of  the  belt  ofwatn- 
pum.  the  particular  mo«Je  of  which,  according  to  the  woman'a 
information,  was  to  he  the  signal  forhi«  chiefs  to  fire,  the  governor 
and  all  hia  attendants  drew  their  sword*  halfway  out  of  their  scab- 
borda;  and  the  soldiers  at  ihe  same  instant  made  a  clattering  with 
their  arms  before  the  doors,  which  had  been  purposely  left  open. 
Pontiac.  though  one  of  the  boldest  of  men,  immediately  turned 
pale,  and  trembled  ;  and  instead  of  giving  the  belt  in  the  manner 
proposed,  delivered  it  according  to  the  usual  way.  His  chiefg, 
who  had  impatiently  expected  tiie  signal,  looked  at  each  other  with 
astonishment,  but  continued  quiet,  waiting  the  result. 

«  The  governor  in  his  turn  niadp  a  speech  ;  but  instead  of  thank- 
ing the  greet  warrior  fur  (he  professions  of  friendship  he  had  just 
uttered,  he  accused  him  of  being  a  traitor.  He  told  him  that  the 
English,  who  knew  every  thing,  were  convinced  of  his  treachery 
and  villanous  designs;  and  as  a  proof  that  they  were  well  acquaint- 
ed with  his  mof  t  secret  thought*  and  intentions,  he  stepped  towarde 
the  Indian  chief  that  sat  nearest  to  him,  and  drawitig  aside  his 
blanket  discovered  the  shortened  firelock.  This  entirely  discon- 
certed  the  Indians,  and  frustrated  their  design. 

"  He  (hen  continued  to  tell  them,  that  as  he  had  given  his  word  at 
the  tin-?  they  desired  an  audiance,  that  their  persons  should  be 
safe,  he  would  hold  his  promise  inviolable,  though  they  soUitle  de- 
served  it.  However  he  advised  them  to  make  the  best  of  their 
way  out  of  the  fort  lest  his  young  men,  on  being  acquainted  with 
their  treacherous  purposes,  should  cut  every  one  of  them  to  pieces. 

•  Henry  dflies  that  tho  death  of  Pontiac  is  attributable  to  the 
Influence  of  the  British  governn.ent,  but  admits  that  the  account 
which  Carver  gives  of  it,  is,  in  other  reipecU,  correct. 


Artor  the  close  oiPonliac's  war,  Detroit  enjoved 
a  penod  of  tranquillity,  which  continued  until  the 
brenk.na:  out  of  the  American  Revolution,  at  the 
close  of  which,  ,t  fell  by  the  definitive  treaty  of  peace 
oi  I7«4,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States. 

«  Pontiacndeavonred  lo  contradict  the  accusation,  and  to  make 

ih^  fol.,ty  of  h,«  prol.sto.ions.  w..uld  not  linten  to  him.  The  India... 

n.«.e^.«.H,  Nt  .h.-     .,  hut  in.toad  of  being  sensible  of  the  g     ! 

en.or  s  ffenerou,  hen.  v.our,  they  ihre.v  oflthe  maslc.  and  the  next 

day  mud.,  a  repular  attack  upon  it 

••  Major  CJIadwin  has  not  escaped  censure  for  this  mistaken  ieni- 

cr^  «.h„„  he  had  them  in  his  power,  he  might  have  been  able  ,o 
have  hrou^ht  the  whole  confederacy  toten»s,a.,d  have  prevented 

he  made  for  more  than  a  year,  amidst  a  variety  of  discourage- 

"  D',nngfhat  period  some  very  smart  skirmishes  happened  bc- 

weenlhe  bes.egrrsand  the  garrison,  of  which  the  foUoxvinff  was 

the  prmnpal  au6  most  bloody  :  Captain    DeI.el,  a  hrave  officer. 

hundred  men,  and  to  permit  him  to  nt-ack  the  enemy's  camp. 
Tins  be.,..  c.,mpl.ed  with,  he  sallied  from  the  town  before  day! 
break  ,  but  Pontiac.  receiving  from  some  of  his  swift-footed  war- 
rjors.  who  were  constantly  employed  in  wn.ching  the  motions  of 
the  garr.so„  t.mely  i„tellige„ce  of  their  de.ign,  he  collected  to 
got herthecho...estofhis  troops.and  met  the  detachment  at  some 
d.8  ance  from  h.s  camp,  near  a  place  since  called  Bloody-Bridffe 

As  the  Indians  were  vastly  superior  in  numbers  to  captain  Del- 
zel  3  party,  he  was  soon  over-powered  and  driven  back.  Beino- 
now  nearly  surrounded,  he  made  a  vigorous  effort  to  regain  th! 
bndge  he  had  just  crossed,  by  which  alone  he  could  find  a  retreat  • 
but  .rt  doingjhis  he  lost  his  life,  and  many  of  his  m.n  fell  with  him 
However.  Major  Rogers,  the  second  in  con.mand,  assisted  by 
L,  utenan  Breham,  found  means  to  draw  off  the  shattered  remains 
01  their  little  army,  and  conducted  them  into  the  fort. 

ml  i'r  ""Tf"'^^^^  ''^^'^^>  it  tvas  with  difficulty  the  Major 
could  defend  the  town ;  notwithstanding  which,  he  held  out  against 


I 


The  continued  hostility  of  the  Indian  tribes,  however, 
prolonged  the  period  of  its  surrender,  Ibr  several 
years;  and,  according  to  llerriot,*  the  trnnsfbr  of 
authority  did  not  take  place  until  1796.  The  inter- 
mediate time  was  occupied  by  the  Indian  wars,  sue 

the  IndianMill  he  wa,  relieved,  a.  after  this  Ihey  made  but  feir 
attacks  on  the  plucc,  and  only  continued  to  blockade  it 

"  The  Gladwin  Schooner  (that  in  which  1  afterwards  took  mv 
passage  from  Michilimarkinac  to  Detroit  and  wbich  I  si.ce  learn 
was  lo«,  w.th  all  her  crew  on  Lake  Krie,  throuMh  the  obHti  ary  of 
the  commander,  who  could  no.  be  prevailed  upon  to  take  i    suffi. 
cient  ballast)  arrived  abou.  thi«  time  near  the  town  wi  h  a  ^  ^ 
forcernent  and  necessary  «,rppl.es.     But  before  thi-  v"  el  c  .u Tl 
.each  the  pla.e  of  its  destination,  it  was  most  vigorously  „  tac  ed 
by  a  detaohment  from  Pontiac's  army.      The  lodlans  surrou"  Id 
't  m  Ihetr  canoes,  and  made  great  havock  among  the  crew. 

At  length  thecaptain  of  the.chooner,  witbaconsi.lerablenum. 

up  the  sides  from  every  quarter,  the  Lieutenant  (Mr  Jacobs  who 
afterwarxis  commanded,  and  was  lost  in  it)  being  determined  n  " 
the  stores  should  not  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands,  .nd  •  J  „ 
other  alternative    ordered   the  gunner  to  set  f.e  to  the  poL" 

ZrhT     '  "''"'^"'^*''"  ""^«"«'   whounderi^ood  the 

manl      '"?f  ""^^'.^^^^  ""»  '<> "!«  friends  the  intention  of  the  cot 

.he    r    f'^rT"'"'^'''"'"'^'''5^"<=«^. 'he  Indians  hurried  down 
thes.de,  of  the  ship  with  the  greatest  precipitation,  apd  go.  asTa! 
from  .1  as  possible;  whilst  the  commande;  immediately'took  ad 
V  ma      oHheir  consternation,  and  arrived  without  any  f    the 

peace.  The  Indians  soon  after  separated,  and  relura- 
•  S«!  Herriol'3  Travels  Unrough  the  Canada.,  in  isis. 


ocssively  conJiictccl  by  generals  Harmer,  St.  Clair^ 
and  Wayne,  in  which  the  bad  success  of  the  two 
former,  was  amply  compensated  by  the  decisive  cam- 
paign of  the  latter,  who  possessed  the  faculty  of  trans- 
iusing  into  the  operations  of  his  army,  that  wonderful 
energy,  for  which  he  was  characterized.  By  the 
treaty  of  Greenville,  of  I79.'j,  the  post  of  Detroit  was 
surrendered  to  the  United  States ;  and,  from  this 
period,  there  has  been  an  American  garrison  kept 
here,  with  the  exception  of  about  eleven  months, 
which  elapsed  between  the  surrender  of  general 
Hull,  in  1812,  and  the  re-occupation  of  the  country, 
by  general  Harrison,  in  1813. 

The  town  was  first  incorporated  by  the  Legislative 
Council  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  North- 
west Territory,  on  the  18th  of  January,  1802. 

In  1805,  when  it  consisted,  according  to  Herriot, 
of  upwards  of  two  hundred  houses,  it  was  entirely 
destroyed  by  fire,  not  a  house  being  left  on  the  plat 

ed  to  their  different  provinces  ;  nor  have  they  since  thought  pro- 
per to  distof  b,  at  least  in  any  great  degree,  the  tranquillity  of  these 
parts. 

"  Pontiac  henceforward  seemed  to  have  laid  aside  the  animosity 
he  had  hilhedo  borne  towards  the  English,  and  apparently  became 
their  zenlons  friend.  To  reward  this  new  attachment,  and  to  in- 
sure a  cohtinr.ance  of  it,  government  allowed  him  a  handsome  pen- 
sion. But  his  restless  and  intriguing  spirit  would  not  sufifer  him 
to  be  grutt'fiil  for  this  allowance,  and  his  conduct  at  length  grev; 
suspicious  ;  so  that  going,  in  the  year  1767,  to  hold  a  council  in 
the  country  of  the  Illinois,  a  faithful  Indian,  who  was  either  com- 
missioned by  one  of  the  English  governor?,  or  instigated  by  the 
love  he  bore  the  English  nation,  attended  him  as  a  spy  ;  ai;d  be 
ing  convinced  from  the  speech  Pontiac  made  in  the  counc  il,  that 
he  still  retained  his  former  prejudices  against  those  for  whom  he 
now  professed  a  friendship,  he  plunged  his  knife  into  his  heart, 
iis  soon  as  he  had  done  speaking,  and  laid  him  dead  oil  the  spot.-' 


of  the  old  town.  This  presented  the  opportunity  of 
widening  the  streets,  and  laying  out  the  town  upon 
an  improved  plan,  by  which  it  has  been  much  beau- 
tified, and  eventually  advantaged.  The  old  town 
consisted  wholly  of  wooden  buildings,  very  compact, 
with  the  street^  only  thirty  feet  wide,  resembling,  in 
this  respect,  the  antique  French  villages  in  Illinois, 
Alissouri,  and  Louisiana. 

In  1810,  the  act  incorporating  the  town  was  re- 
pealed. 

On  the  I6th  of  August,  1812,article8  of  capitulation 
were  signed,  by  which  the  fort  and  town  was  sur- 
rendered to  a  British  army  under  general  Brock, 
who  afterwards  fell  in  the  battie  of  Queenston. 
,  On  the  «th  of  October,  1813,*  the  town  was  re- 
occupied  by  a  division  of  the  American  army  under 
generals  McArthur  and  Cass,  and  the  latter  subse- 
quently appointed  Governor  of  the  Michigan  Terri- 
tory. 

On  the  24th  of  October,  1815,  the  town  was  again 
incorporated  by  the  governor  and  judges  of  the  ter- 
ritory, under  the  name  of  "  the  City  of  Detroit." 

By  the  act  of  Congress,  passed  January  II  th,  1 805, 
it  is  declared  to  be  the  seat  of  the  Territorial  Go- 
vernment, until  Congress  shall  otherwise  direct. 

The  ordinance  of  Congresr,  of  1787,  prohibits 
slavery  in  the  territory.  This  ordinance  had  respect 
to  all  that  extensive  tract  of  then  unincorporated  • 
country,  lying  northwest  of  the  Ohio  river,  and  of 
which  the  present  slates  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illinois 
form  a  part. 

These  are  some  of  the  prominent  civil  and  military 
events  of  which  Detroit  has  been  the  theatre,  and 

*  See  Fay's  Battles  of  the  late  War,  between  1812-15. 


m 


which,  by  eliciting,  irom  time  to  time,  the  attentioo 
of  the  public,  have  conferred  upon  it  a  ceiebritj, 
which  the  most  populous  cities,  barren  of  historic 
incident,  never  attain.  This  notoriety  it  has  partak- 
en of,  in  connexion  with  the  surrounding  country, 
which  continued  to  be  the  rallying  point  of  contend- 
ing armies,  and  the  scene  of  Indian  warfare  and  In- 
dian barbarity,  during  two  of  the  most  important 
campaigiis  of  the  late  war.  It  has  thus  acquired  an 
interest  from  the  sword,  which  neither  the  pen  of  the 
poet,  or  the  pencil  of  the  painter,  have  been  employ- 
ed to  excite. 

It  is  gratifying,  however,  to  behold,  that  Detroit 
does  not  acquire  its  principal  charm  from  extraneous 
circumstanced,  and  that  the  local  beauty  of  the  site, 
the  fertile  district  of  cultivated  land  by  which  it  is 
surrounded,  and  the  advantages  it  enjoys  for  the  pur- 
poses of  commerce,  are  calculated  to  arrest  our  ad- 
miration, and  to  originate  a  high  expectation  of  its 
nature  destination  and  importance.     A  cursory  exa- 
mination of  the  map  of  the  United  States,  will  indi 
cate  its  importance  as  a  place  of  business,  and  a  mi- 
litary depot.     Situated  on  the  great  chain  of  lakes, 
connected,  as  they  are,  at  almost  innumerable  points, 
with  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  the  Ohio,  the  St. 
Lawrence,  the  Hudson,  and  the  Red  River  of  the 
North,  it  communicates  with  the  ocean,  at  four  of 
the  most  important  points  in  the  whole  continent. 
And  when  these  natural  channels  of  communication 
shall  be  improved,  so  as  to  render  them  alikr  passable 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the  increasing  products  of 
its  commerce  and  agriculture,  will  be  presented  with 
a  choice  of  markets,  at  New-Orleaus,  New  York,  or 
Montreal,  an  advantage  derived  from  its  singular  po- 


% 


65 

sidon  on  the  ■ummit  level  in  which  the  most  consi- 
derable  nvers,  lakes,  and  streams  in  America,  on- 
gmate.  h  is  thus  destined  to  be  to  the  regions  of 
the  northwest,  what  St  Louis  is  rapidly  becoLng  in 
he  southwest  the  seat  of  its  commerce,  the  repL" 
torjr  of  Its  wealth,  and  the  grand  focus  of  its  moral, 
political  and  physical  energies. 


9 


CHAPTER  11. 


JOURJVEY. 


FROM  DETSOiT  TO  THE  ISLAJ^D  OF 
MICHILIMACKIJ^AC. 


►  »« 


iM' 


J.  HE  time  which  elapsed  between  my  arrival  at  De- 
troit on  the  8th  of  May,  and  the  date  of  our  departure 
on  the  24th,  was  occupied  in  completing  the  prepa- 
rations for  the  transportation,  subsistence,  and  safe 
conduct  of  an  expedition  of  forty  men,  through  a 
country  where  the  woods  are  not  always  to  be  relied 
upon  for  game,  and  among  Indian  tribes,  where  a 
welcome  reception  can  only  be  certainly  ensured  by 
a  respectable  display  of  physical  power.  There  is, 
perhaps,  no  instance  in  the  history  of  voyages  or 
travels,  where  the  preparations  have  been  wholly 
completed  within  the  time  originally  contemplated. 
There  is  always  some  labour,  the  difficulty  of  accom- 
plishing which,  has  not  been  duly  estimated,  or  some 
untoward  circumstance,  wholly  unforeseen,  springs 
up  to  increase  the  number  of  obstacles  to  be  sur- 
mounted, and  to  retard  the  period  of  departure. 
Hence  several  weeks  elapsed,  after  the  navigation 
of  the  lakes  had  opened,  and  after  the  time  original- 
ly fixed  for  our  departure,  before  we  were,  in  reality, 


67 

in  a  state  of  readiness.    Our  canoes,  our  arms,  our 
camp  and  other  equipage,  our  provisions,  and  th6 
escort  of  soldiers  destined  to  accompany  us,  all  con* 
tributed  to  furnish  causes  of  delay ;  and  when  no 
other  obstacle  remained,  the  winds  blew  so  directly 
ahead,  that  no  progress  could  be  made  against  them. 
This  delay,  which  was  scarcely  a  cause  of  regret  to 
any  person,  and  from  which  the  expedition  eventu- 
ally experienced  not  the  slightest  inconvenience,  af- 
forded  us  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  the  most  satis- 
factory knowledge  of  the  town,  the  adjacent  country, 
the  climate,  and  the  novelty  of  the  water  craft,  in 
which  we  were  to  perform  this  journey ;  and,  per- 
haps,  this  lapse  cannot  be  more  appropriately  filled, 
than  by  some  brief  notices  of  such  of  the  enumerat- 
ed topics,  as  have  not  already  been  dwelt  upon  in 
the  prehaj.nary  remarks.     Among  these,  the  Indian 
canoe,  excited  our  eariiest  curiosity;  and  after  exa- 
mining It  with  scrupulous  attention,  and  making  a 
trial  of  ,ts  velocity  upon  the  river,  we  were  ready 
to  say,  with  an  eloquent  writer,  "that  its  slender 
and  elegant  form,  its  rapid  movement,  its  capacity  to 
bear  burdens,  and  to  resist  the  rage  of  billows  and 

t7Tn  r^'t^  r  '"""  ^"«'""  °^  admimtion,  for 
the  skill  by  which  it  was  constructed."*     We  were 

struck  with  the  difference,  both  as  to  the  form  and 

materials  of  construction,  between  the  canoe,   by 

which  the  savages  formerly  navigated  the  Hudson, 

Connecticut,  and  Delaware,  and  that  which  is,  at 

present,  employed  by  the  northern  tribes.      The 

former,  as  still  remaining  among  us,  is  merely  a  log, 

mJ'T^"'  ^°"''  ^""""'  ^'«'°"««'  before  the  Ne^r  York 
H^toncal  Societ,,  in  im.    See  their  «  Collectiou.,"  2d"oIt 


#■ 


V, 


i'h. 


R.it 


i; 
I 


1'^ 


/ 


68 


which  has  been  scooped  out«  and  is,  in  every  respect, 
analogous,  according  to  Mr.  Pennant^*  to  the  tnonoxyla 
of  the  ancient  Germans  and  Gauls,  and  to  the  pine 
canoe  of  the  savages  of  Nootka  Sound,  except  that 
the  latter  is  supposed  to  exceed  the  ancient  Europe- 
an canoe,  in  the  elegance  of  its  form.  "  The  old 
Europeans,  says  Mr.  Pennant,  were  content  if  they 
could  but  float."  The  northwest  canoe,  is,  on  the  con- 
trary, constructed  wholly  of  bark,  cedar  splints,  the 
roots  of  the  spruce,  and  the  pitch  of  the  yellow  pine, 
productions  which  are  common,  from  the  frozen 
ocean,  situated  within  the  arctic  circle,t  to  the  pa- 
rallel of  the  forty-second  degree  of  north  latitude  ; 
and  these  articles  are  fabricated  in  a  manner  unit- 
ing such  an  astonishing  degree  of  lightness, 
strength,  and  elegance,  and  with  such  a  perfect  adap- 
tation to  the  coi<ntry,  and  the  difficulties  of  northern 
voyages,  as  to  create  a  sentiment  of  mixed  surprise 
and  admiration.  Those  of  the  largest  size,  such  as 
are  commonly  employed  in  the  fur  trade  of  the  north, 
are  thirty-five  feet  in  length,  and  six  feet  in  width, 
at  the  widest  part,  tapering  gradually  towards  the 
bow  and  stern,  which  are  brought  to  a  wedge-like 
point,  and  turned  over,  from  the  extremities,  towards 
the  centre,  so  as  to  resemble,  in  some  degree,  the 
head  of  a  violin.  See  plate  2.  fig.  1.  They  are  con- 
structed of  the  bark  of  the  white  birch  tree,  (betula 
papyracea)  which  is  peeled  from  the  tree  in  large 
sheets,  and  bent  over  a  slender  frame  of  cedar  ribs, 
confined  by  gunwales,  M'hich  are  kept  apart  by  slen- 
der bars  of  the  same  wood.    Around  these  the  bark 

•  See  Pennant's  Introduction  to  the  Arctic  Zoology,  p.  235. 
t  See  Hearne's  Journey  from  il.iiJgon'a  Bay  to  the  Northern 
Ocean. 


f  ( 


mm 


i 
i 
I 

% 

a 

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]j 

P 

P 

ei 

■  S( 

Pl 

P« 

P» 
T 

w] 

sa 

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arl 
of 
a  c 
the 
cai 
pai 
one 


69 

15  sewed,  by  the  slender  and  BexiUe  roots  of  the 
young  spruce  tree,  caUed  umllap,  and  also  where  the 
pieces  of  bark  join,  so  that  the  gunwales  resemble 
the  nm  of  an  Indian  basket.  The  joinings  are  after- 
wards  luted,  and  rendered  water  tight,  by  a  coat  of 
pme  pitch,  which,  after  it  has  been  thickeiid  by  boil- 

crLhT''  "",?"."'*  "^^  "f  «™'»-    '"  'he  'bird 
cross  barfro„  the  bow,  an  aperture  is  cut  for  a  mast, 

so  that  a  sad  ^  be  employed,  when  the  wind  proves 

favourable     Seats  for  those  who  paddle,  are  made 

by  suspending  a  strip  of  board,  with  cords,  from  the 

gunwaks,  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  do  not  press 

against  the  sides  of  the  canoe.    The  Fur  Companies 

have  lately  introduced  the  use  of  oars,  in  pLel! 

l"Lr* '.''."'  **  "««'«»  employ  the  cedar 
paddle,  with  a  light  and  slender  blade.    See  fie  u 
plate  2     in  either  case,  they  are  steered  with  a  largl 
er  paddle,  having  a  long  handle,  and  a  broad  blade. 
See  fig.  2.  phite  2.    A  canoe  of  this  size,  when  et 
ployed  m  the  fur  trade,  is  calculated  to  carry  sitTr 
packages  of  skins,  weighing  ninety  pounds  eacS 
provisions  to  the  amount  of  one  thousand  pound^ 
This  isexclusive  of  the  weight  ofeight  men,  eacho^ 
whom  are  allowed  to  put  on  board,  a  bag  or  knao 
sack  of  the  weight  of  forty  pounds.'    In  IddltioZ' 
this,  every  canoe,  has  a  quanUty  of  bark,  wattap,  gum 
a  pan  for  heating  the  gum,  an  a«,  and  some  smE 
articles  necessary  for  repaid.  The  aggregate  weight 
of  all  this,  may  be  estimated  at  about  fourinlsuth 
a  canoe,  thus  loaded,  is  paddled  by  eight  men    at 
the  rate  of  four  miles  per  hour,  in  a  perfm  calml^ 
carried  across  portages  by  four  men-is  easiK  re! 

onTof  1 ""'  ""■',""''  "'  ="^  P'-«'  -0  -  "Cher 
one  of  the  most  eligible  modes  of  conveyance!  th^t 


i    -ll 


^■) 


70 

can  be  employed  upon  the  lakes,  ivhile  in  the  inte- 
rior of  the  northwcBt — for  river  navigation,  where 
there  nre  ma  ij  rapids  and  portages,  nothing  that  has 
Ix  c-ji  contrived  to  float  upon  water,  offers  an  ade- 
quate substitute.  £very  night  the  canoe  is  unloaded, 
and,  with  the  baggage,  oak . 'ed  ashore;  a.id  if,  dur- 
ing  the  day,  a  storm  should  arise,  such  is  the  activi- 
ty of  the  Canadian  voyageurs,  that  ten  jninutes  time 
is  sufficient  to  <  1^'..^^  .x  landing,  and  secure  both  ves- 
sel and  cargo.  Recommended  by  these  advantages, 
•we  felt  an  avidity  to  test  (hem  by  experience;  and, 
after  a  long  voyage,  in  which  we  have  had  occasion 
to  complain  of  the  confined  posture  of  sitting,  and  of 
the  frequency  of  injuring  the  canoes,  by  striking 
against  hidden  rocks  and  logs  of  wood,  we  have,  ne- 
Tertheless,  returned,  with  an  unaltered  opinion  of 
their  superior  utility  and  adaptation  for  northern 
Toyages.  Such  is  the  vessel  in  which  Europeans, 
adopting  the  customs  of  the  savages,  first  entered 
the  great  chain  of  \merican  lakes,  and  in  which  they 
have  successively  discovered,  the  Mississippi, — the 
Columbia,  and  the  Arctic  Sea ;  and  the  coincidence 
is  deserving  of  remark,  that  it  has  been  employ- 
ed by  every  traveller  of  the  region,  from  the  time  of 
Father  Marquette,  the  Jesuit,  to  the  discoveries  of 
Sir  Alexander  McKenzie.* 

*  The  order  of  travelling,  in  this  region,  is  as  follows  : 
1.  Father  Marquette. 

3.  La  Salle. 
S.  Hennepin. 

4.  La  Hontan. 

5.  Charlevoix.  -^ 

6.  Henry. 

7.  Carver. 
^.  McKenzie.  ^ 


n 

With  respect  to  the  climate  of  Detroit,  the  result 
of  our  observations  will  «|lo,r  us  to  speak  in  a  verr 
favourable  manner.  Situated  in  the  longitude  of 
Chdhcothe,  ,n  Ohio,  and  on  the  parallel  of  latitude 
which  embraces  Prane  du  Chein,  on  the  Mississippi, 
and  Albany,  on  the  Hudson,  it  falls  under  that  tern- 
perate  medium  of  climate,  which  is  found  so  favour- 
able  to  the  cereal  gramina,  the  grasses,  and  the  fruit 

n  the  earl,  development  of  spring,  always  one  of 
he  best  tests  of  the  benignity  of  a  climate  On 
eav,ng  Buffalo,  on  the  6th  of  May,  the  blossoms  o" 

petals  of  the  apple  were  just  beginning  co  swell 
On  reaching  Detroit,  two  days  afterlardsfth:  i:!;^. 
of  the  peach  blossom  had  fallen,  and  those  of  the 
apple  had  passed  the  heighth  of  their  bloom.  Gar- 
dening a^so  which  had  not  commenced  at  Buffalo  • 
we  found  Bnished  at  Detroit,  and  the  half  grown 
eaves  of  the  beach,  the  maple,  the  common  hickZ 
0«ghns  v«lgar«),  and  the  profusion  of  wild  K 

fte  d'  .^.f  r'"""  '"  "■*  ^"'^^  -^  '0  the  6mI 
the  delightful  appearance  of  spring.  These  fact, 
will  go  farther  in  determining  u^n  the  differ  nclsol 
climate,  than  meteorological  registers,  which  onKr 
indicate  the  state  of  the  atmosphere,  ^i.Ct  notic 

~i'on"  T- "'"""'"^  *«'*^' '» Foduc:d :; : 

vegetation.  Dunng  ten  days  of  the  perod  of  our 
detention  at  Detroit,  of  which  1  kept  a'me.eorologi' 
cal  register,  the  mean  daily  temperature  of  the 
ataosphere,  (for  a  period  often  da^s,)  as  indtcatel 


(. 


/ 


M 


72 

hy  a  Ffthrcnheit  thermometer,  was  61*  •  The  ave- 
rage temperature  of  the  whole  month  of  May,  at  Al- 
bany, according  to  the  observations  of  Dr.  Beck,t 
waB  58°. 

By  a  journal  of  tfic  weather  kept  at  the  garrison 
of  Detroit,  (Fort  Shelby),  in  obedience  to  orders 
from  the  War  Department,  for  a  period  of  one  hun- 
dred and  five  days,  namely,  from  the  15th  November, 
1818,  to  the  28th  February,  1819,  forty  days  are  re- 
marked to  be  "  clear,"  forty  «  cloudy,"  thirteen  "  va- 
riable," and  twelve  "  cloudy,  with  rain  or  snow."  The 
average  monthly  temperature  as  noted  by  a  Fah- 
renheit thermometer  during  the  same  period,  was, 
for  November  13%  Dereinber  25%  January  .30%  and 
February  3.3%f  According  to  a  meteorological  jour- 
nal, kept  at  Albany,  during  the  same  time,§  the  ave- 


*  Meteorological  Observations^  at  Detroit. 


I      A.  M. 


Date.    |6.|8.|10|12 
MHy   15|50|     I     |61 


lf)|49|..l|     |(V2 


17|30|     I     |64 


18|.t2|     I     |04 


jy I     |tiU|     |6S  60|     I     62  I 


**-M[  Daily  |  Prevuil. 


6.|8.|Teinp.|  Windi 


'.■I 


State  of  the 
Atmoiphere. 


HEMAHKS. 


51|47-|    52  I    N.  E.  I        Fair.  f 


M)|46|     51  I     N.E.  I         Fair.  ( 


51 1     I     55  I     N.E.  I         Fair. 


'0|47|     55  I     N.  E.  I        Fair.  | 


N.  E. 


Fair. 


20|     |6.1|b7|68(r)|bl|     64|^f■N'.  E.|     "'Fhm-.  ~      [ 


.n|     |67|     |82|66|62|     69  jW.N.W  |         vTsTT        |Th.85'»ar2^ 


■2^2\ 


•.W| 


\7'- 


24| 


|88|82|65| 


74  I     8.  W.  I         Fair.  |     89o  at  2. 


73  IW.N.W.  I         Cloudy.      |     Some  ram. 


64 


J     I     63  I  N.  W.    I       Cloudy.        |  Left  Detroit  at  4pm 


10|612 


61°  average  daily  temperature  of  May. 


t  See  Meteorological  Register,  for  the  month  of  May,  1820,  in 
the  Plough  Boy. 

J  See  notes  to '«  The  Emigrant,"  printed  by  Shelden  and  Reed, 
at  Detroit,  1819. 

§  Dr.  T.  R.  Beck,  Plough  Boy,  vol.  I,  pages  303,  MS. 


is 

rage  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  was  in  January 
22%  and  in  February  29'.  These  facts,  while  they 
indicate  a  remarkable  difference  of  climate  between 
two  places  whose  received  latitudes  only  vary  nine 
degrees,*  are  calculated  to  justify  a  remark  which 

Tn  r\    fr'"!*^  ^'""'^  ^'•^'^   intelligent  persons 
at  Detroit,  that  they  are  favoured  with  a  summer 
atmosphere  of  uncommon  serenity,  and  that  their 
winters  are  not  so  severe  as  those  experienced  in 
the  same  latitudes  east  of  the  Alleghany  mountains. 
J  ho  winds  which  are  expected  at  this  see  son  to 
prevail  here,  as  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,t  from  the 
southwest,  had  blown  from  the  northeast,  shifting  to 
the  north  and  northwest,  (points  unfavourable   to 
1 1080  who  are  ascending  through  the  lakes,)  durinir 
the  whole  ppriod  of  our  stay  at  Detroit.     This  gave 
us  no  uneasiness  so  long  as  the  preparations  for  the 
journey  were  going  forward,  but  when,  on  the  23d 
ot  May,  these  were  completed,  and  the  canoes  rea- 
dy  for  embarkation,  all  felt  the  utmost  anxiety  to 
proceed,  and  the  governor,  although  suffering  from 
an  attack  of  the  fever  and  ague,  fixed  the  following 
day  tor  our  departure.  * 

I.  Dxy,-^(Mat,  2ith,  I820.)-It  was  late  in  the  day 
before  our  baggage  could  be  embarked.  At  four 
o  clock  ,n  the  afternoon,  all  was  in  readiness.  A 
large  concourse  of  people  had  collected  upon  the 
shore  to  offer  us  their  good  wishes,  and  to  witnes. 
our  departure,  when,  upon  the  word  being  given, 
the  voyageurs,  with  one  impulse,  struck  their  pad- 

•  Lat  of  Albany,  42"  39'.    Detroit,  42»  30'. 
t  Drake'.Namral  «nd  Statistical  View  of  Cin.innati. 

10 


f\ 


HI 


li 


i    ' 


!   ) 


74 

dies  in  the  water,  and  instantly  chanting  one  of  theif. 
animated  songs,  we  passed  rapidly  along  the  town, 
and  in  two  hours  time,  landed  at  Grosse  Point,  on 
the  west  fshore  of  Lake  St.  Clair,  nine  miles  from 
Detroit,  where  it  had  previously  been  determined 
to  encamp.  To  this  place  Governor  Cass  and  suite, 
accompanied  by  Gen.  M'Comb  of  the  army,  and  a 
party  of  gentlemen  and  ladies  from  Detroit,  wno 
honoured  the  expedition  with  this  mark  of  attention, 
proceeded  by  land.  Feeling  an  anxiety  to  witness 
tJie  picturesque  scenery  presented  from  the  river,  I 
embarked  on  board  the  canoes  at  Detroit,  but  had 
nearly  repented  of  my  choice  before  reaching  the 
place  of  our  encampment,  for  the  wind,  which  gave  us 
no  inconveiTiience  of  leaving  the  shore,  soon  shifted  di- 
recti}'  ahead,  and  blew  with  such  violence,  that  the 
waves  broke  over  the  canoes,  and  gave  na  a  severe 
drenching.  Immediately  on  leaving  Detroit  a  canoe 
race,  and  trial  of  skill,  was  witnesse<l  between  the 
French  voyagenrs  and  the  Indians,  (who  occupied  a 
separate  canoe,)  of  our  party,  in  which  the  expert- 
ness  and  spirit  of  the  latter,  for  sudden  and  short 
exertions,  and  the  superiority  of  the  former  for  la- 
bours long  continued,  were  handsomely  and  clearly 
manifested.  The  banks  of  the  river  present  a  com- 
pact settlement  along  the  American  shore,  in  which 
the  succession  of  farm  houses,  orchards,  and  culti- 
vated fields,  is  in  no  place  interrupted  by  forests,  or 
even  by  detached  copses  of  woods.  Every  thing 
bears  the  appearance  of  having  been  long  settled 
and  well  improved.  The  soil  is  a  deep,  black  allu- 
vion, of  the  richest  quality,  and  disclosing  on  the 
water's  edge,  pebbles  of  limestone,  granite,  and 
hornblende  rock,  mixed  with  silicious  sand,  and,  in 


75 

Ismail  quantity,  with  iron  sand.    Farms  are  laid  out 
with  a  width  of  only  four  acres  in  front,  and  extend- 
ing eighty  acres  in  depth,  which  gives  a  compactness 
to  the  settlement  that  was  formerly  very  advanta- 
geous in  defending  the  early  settlers  against  the  at- 
tacks of  the  aborigines.     The  appearance  of  ex- 
tensive orchards,  the  wind-mills  which  occupy  every 
prominent  point  along  the  river,  the  clearness  of  the 
water,  the  woody  islands  in  the  river,  already  co- 
vered with  green  foliage,  and  the  distant  view  of 
Detroit,  every  moment  receding  in  the  landscape, 
all  served  to  imprint  a  character  of  mildness  and 
beauty  upon  the  scene,  which  was  perhaps  height- 
ened  by  the  reflection,  that  it  presented  the  last 
glimpse  of  a  refined  population  which  we  were  for 
some  time  to  witness.     On  reaching  Grosse  Point, 
we  found  the  party,  that  proceeded  by  land,  already 
there;  several  of  the  citizens  of  Detroit  had  previous- 
ly returned,  and  the  rest  departed  in  the  evening. 

II.  DAY.—(»/^%  2.^/A.)— A  strong  head  wind  pre- 
vented us  from  quitting  our  encampment.  The 
mean  daiSy  temperature  of  the  air,  and  the  water  of 
Lake  St.  Clair,  at  six  inches  below  the  surface,  have 
been  equal  at  .5r  of  Fahrenheit,  which  is  5°  low- 
er than  the  mean  annual  temperature  of  the  Ohio 
at  eight  inches  below  the  surface.*  Large  masses 
of  granite,  hornblende,  limestone,  hornslone  jasper, 
mica  slate,  and  quartz,  are  lying  upon  the  margin  oi  ihe 
lake.  The  banks  are  alluvial,  elevated  about  twenty 
feet  above  the  water,  and  with  an  unduiatory  surface. 
Lake  St.  Clair  is  by  far  the  smallest  of  the  chain  of 

*  Drake's  Statistical  View,  p.  14. 


?v: 


76 

lakes,  which,  by  their  intercommunications  connect 
Lake  Superior  with  the  river  St.  Lawrence  Its  great- 
est length  is  computed  at  30  miles,  by  a  breadth  of  25 
miles,  with  an  inconsiderable  depth.  It  receives  a 
number  of  tributary  streams,  the  largest  of  which  are 
the  river  Huron,  from  the  American,  and  the  rivers 
Chenal  Ecarte,  and  Thames,*  from  the  Canadian 
shore.  The  latter  runs  parallel  with  the  north  shore 
of  Lake  Erie,  for  a  considerable  distance,  and  is 
noted  as  the  scene  of  General  Harrison's  victory 
over  the  British  army,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1813. 
Considered  as  a  decisive  field  battle, — as  securing 
the  safety  of  our  extensive  northwestern  frontier, — 
and  as  breaking  up  a  powerful  Indian  confederacy,  in 
the  death  of  their  celebrated  leader,  Tecumseh,t 

•  Called  hy  the  French,  "  La  Riviere  i  la  Tranche,"  and  by  the 
aborigines,  Escann-Seebe. 

f  This  noted  warrior,  was  first  made  known  to  the  public  as  the 
leader  of  the  Indians  at  the  battle  of  1  ippacanoe,  (7th  Nov.  181 1.) 
He  hurst  suddenly  into  notice,  but  from  that  time,  until  his  fall 
upon  the  river  Thames,  the  attention  of  the  American  people  was 
constantly  rivetted  upon  him.  He  possessed  all  the  enerjry,  bra- 
very, sagacity, and  fortitude,  for  which  the  most  distinguished  abo- 
riginal chiefs  have  been  celebrated,  and  the  terror  of  his  name 
alone  kept  the  whole  line  of  our  northwestern  frontier  in  a  con- 
slant  stale  of  alarm.  He  projected  »»very  enterprize  which  the 
savages  executed  against  the  whites,  and  took  a  conspicuous  part 
in  every  massacre,  in  every  murder,  and  in  tvery  siege.  He  was 
no  less  an  orator,  than  a  soldier,  and  by  the  persuasive  power 
of  his  eloquence  formed  one  of  the  most  powerful  confederacies 
which  has  been  attempted  by  the  Ii)dians  within  the  last  century. 
His  watchful  mind  was  ever  on  the  alert,  his  hatred  never  slumber- 
ed, and  he  held  himself  a  stranger  to  personal  fatigue.  Such  was 
Tecumseh,  who  is  reported  lo  have  fallen  towards  the  close  of 
ths  battle  upon  the  Thames,  in  a  personal  combat  with  Col. 
R.  M.  Johnson;  of  Kentucky.    He  was  a  Shawanee. 


i  ; 


77 

this  victory  may  be  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  most 
important  events  of  the  late  war. 

It  is  gratifying  to  the  expedition,  to  reflect,  that 
they  are  proceeding  under  the  orders  of  a  person, 
whose  participation  in  that  engagement,  and  in  the 
general  dangers  and  fatigues  of  the  operations  of  that 
arduous  campaign,  affords  a  pledge  of  that  decision 
of  character,  foresight,  and  personal  courage,  so  ne- 
cessary in  the  safe  conduct  of  the  voyage  before  us. 

III.  Day— (Maif  2m.)~-The  wind,  which  contin- 
ued unfavourable  in  the  morning,  abated  about  eleven 
o'clock,  when  we  commenced  loading  the  canoes. 
At  twelve  the  Governor  embarked,  and  we  proceed- 
ed along  the  southern  shore  of  the  lake,  to  the  en- 
trance of  St.  Clair  river,  and  up  that,  a  distance  of 
six  miles  where  we  encamped,  having  proceeded 
twenty-five  miles.  The  expedition  consisted,  on 
leaving  Grosse  Point,  of  the  following  persons : 

His  Ex:  Lewis  Cass,  Governor  of  the  Michigan 
Territory. 

Alexander  Wolcott,  M.  D.  Mian  Jgent  at  Chi- 
cago^ Physician  to  the  Expedition. 

Capt.  David  B.  Douglass,  Civil  and  Military  En- 
gineer. 

Lieut.  iENEAs  Mackay,  M  Regiment  U.  S.  Artillery, 
commanding  the  soldiers. 

James  D.  Doty,  Esq.  Secretan/  to  the  Expedition. 

Maj.  Robert  A.  Forsyth,  Private  Secretary  to  the 
Governor. 

Mr.  Charles  C.  Trowbridge,  Jssist.  Topographer. 

Mr.  Alexander  R.  Chace. 


■J^m    I  '  n 


n 


Also, — ten  Canadian  voyageurs, — seven  U.  S.  sol- 
diers,— ten  Indians  of  the  Ottaway  and  Shawanee 
tribes,  an  interpreter  and  aguide,  making  thirty-seven 
persons  exclusive  of  myself,  and  all  embarked  in  three 
canoes.  Provisions  were  only  taken  to  serve  the  party 
to  the  island  of  Michilimackinac,  to  which  place,  the 
stores,  arms,  Indian  goods,  and  other  principal  outfits 
had  been  sent  by  vessels  in  order  to  facilitate  oup 
passage  through  lake  Huron.  The  Indians  occupied 
one  canoe,  under  the  direction  of  an  Ottaway  chief. 
The  baggage  and  men  were  divided  equally.     The 
canoes  were  mo'/ed  wholly  with  paddles,  but  a  sail 
provided  to  each,  as  well  as  a  small  standard,  bear- 
ing the  arms  of  the  United  States.     Each  canoe  had 
also  a  tent  or  marque,  and  an  oil  cloth,  to  secure 
baggage  from  the  effects  of  rain,  together  with  the 
necessary  gum,  bark,  and  apparatus  for  mending 
canoes.     Thus  equipped,  we  took  our  final  depart- 
ure from  Grosse  Point  about  noon,  with  a  double 
feeling  of  pleasure,  from  the  reflection  of  the  termi- 
nation of  a  delay,  which  had  so  early  retarded  our  pro- 
gress, and  the  anticipation  of  the  novel  and  interesting 
scenes,  we  were  to  encounter.     A  glow  of  satisfac- 
tion, beamed   on  every  countenance,    which   was 
heightened    by  the    sc.enity    of    the  atmosphere, 
and  by  the  temperate  warmth  of  the  day.     About 
two  o'clock,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  Huron  river, 
which  enters  behind  a  point  oflaiid,  projecting  some 
distance  into  the  lake,  and  is  a  stream  of  sixty  yards 
wide,  and  navigable  with  boats,  of  a  small  class, 
for  sixty  or  seventy  miles.     Upor  this  jiream,  stand 
the  towns  of  Mount  Clemens  and  Pontine,  both  re- 
cent, and  in  a  state  of  rapid  improvement;  the  lanus 
upon  the  banks  of  this  river,  are  represented  as  fer- 


n 

tile  and  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  wheat,  rye, 
ftnd  Indian  corn.    Its  priucipa!  forest  trees,  are  oak, 
maple,  and  blackwahmt.     From  Point  Huron,  it  is 
necessary,  in  order  to  strike  the  mouth  of  St.  Clair 
river,  and  to  save  a  tedious  voyage  around  the  shore, 
to  traverse  across  a  large  bay,  or  arm  of  the  lake, 
but  before,  we  had  reached  half  the  distance,  the 
wind  arose  and  continued  to  blow  with  such  vio- 
lence,  that  with  every  exertion,   little  head  way 
could  be  made,  while  the  waves  were  frequently 
breaking  across  our  canoes,  which  rendered  it  ne- 
cessary for  one  man  to  be  continually  employed  in 
bailing  out  the  water.     It  was  dark  before  we  reach- 
ed the  entrance  of  the  river,   which   consists  of  a 
number  of  channels,  separated  by  islands  partly  un- 
der water,  and  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  rushes, 
reeds,  and  tall  coarse  grass,  affording  no  advantages 
for  encampment,  so  that  we  were  compelled  to  as- 
cend the  river  to  the  upper  end  of  Lawsoji's  island, 
a  distance  of  two  league ;  where  we  arrived  two 
hours  before  midnight,  wet  and  cold,  and  passed  an 
uncomfortable  night. 

IV.  Day.— (Jt/ay  26/^.)— Embarked  at  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  passed  up  the  river  thirty  miles, 
which  brought  us  to  Fort  Gratiot,  at  the  foot  of  Lake 
Huron.  The  principal  tributary  streams  of  St.  Clair 
river  are  Belle  river,  and  Black  river,  both  entering 
on  the  United  States  shore,  the  former  at  the  dis- 
tance of  fourteen,  and  the  latter  at  the  distance  of 
two  miles  below  Fort  Gratiot.  The  banks  of  the 
nv  r  '.  Clair  are  handsomely  elevated,  and  well 
Vi^c^jv  >J  with  maple,  beach,  oak,  and  eltu.  Settle- 
mtiiis  continue  for  a  considerable  part  of  the  way 


If 


4tO 


on  the  American  shore,  and  contribute  very  much  to 
the  effect  of  a  district  of  river  scenery,  which  is 
generally  admired.     The  lands  are  rich,  and  hand- 
somely exposed  to  ttie  sun.     The  river  is  broad,  and 
deep,  wi«h  a  gravelly  shore  and  transparent  waterj 
and  its  surface  is  chequered  w'«;h  a  number  of  the 
most  beautiful  islandg*.     Indeed,  ike  succession  of 
interesting  views,  has  afforded  us  a  continued  theme 
of  admiration,  and  wecunfulh  uwte  in  the  remark 
of  the  Baron  La  Hontan,  who  passed  this  strait  in 
1688,  "that  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  a  more  delight- 
liil  prospect,  than  is  presented  by  this  3trait,  and  the 
little  Lake  St.  Clair."*     In  ascending  the  river,  we 
have  successively  passed  nine  vessels  ct  anchor,  be- 
ing detained  by  head  winds.     They  were  laden  with 
merchandise,  military  stbres,  and  troops,  for  Michili- 
mackinac,  Green  Bay,  and  Chicago.     W  j  also  pas- 
sed a  number  of  Indian  canoes,  in  which  were-gene- " 
rally  one  family,  with  their  blankets,  guns,  fishing 
apparatus,  and  dogs.     On   conversing  with  them, 
through  our  interpreter,  we  found  they  belonged  to 
the  Chippeway  and  Ottaway  tribes,  who  are  on  a 
footing  of  the  most  perfect  friendship  with  each  oth- 
er, and  with  the  United  States.     There  are  some 
of  these  tribes  permanently  settled  on  the  Canadian 
shore  of  the  river,  which  is  generally  in  the  state  of 
nature,  and  presents  a  striking  contrast  with  the  im- 
provements on  the  opposite  shore.     The  white  in- 
habitants are  chiefly  French,  who  profess  the  Roman 
catholic  religion.     The  river  maintains  an  average 
width  of  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  with  a  gen- 
tle current  until  we  approach  wjjthin  three  miles 
of  Lake  Huron,  where  there  is  a  rapid  in  which  the 


'  La  Hontan's  Voyages,  vol.  I.  p.  83. 


M 

water  runs  with  a  velocity,  of  from  eix  to  rerea 

mT/"'",     ^"'^  «""""  ^•^""^  »'  '"e  head  of 

H  ro?  Th  r"""""'''  "«'<'""■'"<=<'  into  Lake 
Huron.  The  site  appears  to  have  been  judiciously 
.elected  and  mu,t  always,  in  the  event  of  aTar 
command  the  commerce  of  the  upper  lakes  and 
«rve  as  a  check  to  the  incursions  of 'ife  savages  S^ 
Important  did  the  French  formerly  consider  fws.  that 

erected  a  Fort  at  this  spot  at  their  own  expense - 
Th,s  was  afterwards  occupied  by  the  French  Go- 
vernment  under  the  name  of  For<  S/  Joseph,  andfi. 
nally  abandoned  and  burnt  by  the  commaTdlnt,  Ut 
Hontan,  on  the  27th  August,   .6S8.»    This  measure 
was  adopted  upon  the  occasion  of  a  Peace,  colluded 
ty  the  Mar,„,s  de  Denonville,  Governor  of  Canada 
'"<=""=«!"/'>'=«  of  "hich,  Fori   Niagara  had  bee,! 
abandoned  to  the  Iroquois.    The' present  ForHs 
understood  to  have  been  built  about  ihe  close  of  the 
late  war,  ( ,8,4.)     ,t  consists  ofa  stockade  incli  'g 
a  magaz,„e.  barracks,  and  other  prerequisites,  calcu! 
Uted  to  accommodate  a  garrison  of  one  battalion. 
We  found  .t  occupied  by  a  company  of  sixty  men 
under  the  command  cf  Major  Cummins,  a  prom" 

mrtmenT  ""f" '^"  --"' order  of  the /ar  Se- 
parlment,  .scult.vatu.g  an  extensive  plantation  and 
kitchen  garden.  The  expedition  was  received  wTth 
a  national  salute,  and  welcomed  to  the  hospital  y 
and  conveniences  of  the  garrison.  We  here  return' 
ed  two  soldiers  who  were  sickly,  and  received  I 
accession  of  five  able  bodied  iLn  to  sunprtheir 
places.    To  cover  any  arrangements  of'his'S 

*LaHonlan's  Voyageg. 

11 


11 


ijn 


which  the  exigencies  of  our  situation  mififht  rendcf 
necessary,  an  order  had  becFi  issued  by  tho  wnr  de- 
partment, and  transmitted  by  General  Macomb 
throughout  the  northwestern  division  of  the  army 
to  aflTord  the  expedition  every  necessary  assistance 
either  in  men,  boats,  or  other  facilities. 

In  passing  up  the  river,  we  have  constantly  observ- 
ed ducks,  plovers,  and  snipe  ;  and  while  walking 
along  the  shore  had  an  opportunity  to  witness  the 
manner  in  which  certain  snakes  prey  upon  inferior 
repliles.  In  the  present  instance  a  common  green 
snake  (^coluber  cB&tivus)  had  seized  upon  a  frog  and 
succeeded  in  swallowing  it  alive,  saving  a  small  part 
of  the  hinder  legs,  which  were  visible  when  we  dis- 
covered it.  A  blow  at  the  snake  was  sufficient  to 
relieve  the  frog,  which  fled  towards  the  water  with- 
out having  received  much  apparent  injury.  The 
mean  temperature  of  the  air,  since  leaving  Detroit 
has  been  51%  that  of  the  water,  52^*  The  wind 
has  varied  little  from  northwest,  blowing  at  times 
with  some  violence,  and  so  as  to  retard  our  progress. 

No  change  in  the  geological  character  of  the 
country,  has  been  noticed,  the  shores  of  the  river 
continue  alluvial,  and  the  detached  stones  strewed 
along  the  beach,  are  of  the  same  kinds  formerly  men- 


* Metetnologiral  Of>.tt>rvntiinis  on  the  L 

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Honed,  among  which,  hornblende  and  granite  pr#. 
dominate :— -no  rock  strata  appear.     There  are  some 
traces  of  iron  sand  along  the  shore    On  ascending  the 
rapids  between  Black  river  and  Fort  Gratiot,  where 
the  current  washes  hard  against  the  south  shore,  we 
perceive  a  tenaceous  stratum  of  blue  clay  of  fifteen 
feet  in  depth,  covered  by  a  layer  of  sandy  alluvion 
of  thrice  that  depth.     What  strikes  us  as  particular- 
ly deserving  of  attention  is,  a  number  of  trees  imbed- 
ded at  the  point  of  contact  between  th<^  clay  and  the 
overlaying  stratum  of  sand,  and  which  the  falling  in 
of  the  bank    has   caused  to  project    horizontally 
several  feet  over  the  water    These  trees   are  also 
seen  at  various  depths  below  the  surface  of  the  sand 
bank,  together  with  fragments  of  granite  and  lime- 
stone ;  but  no  such  imbedded  substances  either  ve- 
getable or  mineral,  are  found  in  the  stratum  of  clay  I 
Is  not,  therefore,  the  sub-stratum  of  sand  a  posterior 
formation.?    And  do  not  the  imbedded  substances 
furnish  data  for  determining  the  relative  geological 
ages  of  the  two  alluvial  deposites  ?    These  conside- 
rations lead  us  further  to  inquire  into  the  impropriety 
of  confounding  all  earthy  strata  under  the   broad 
and  indistinguishable  name  of  alluvion,  and  whether 
they  do  not,  like  other  mineral  depositions,  admit  of 
a  classification  according  to  composition,  the  imbed- 
ded substances,  and  the  order  of  superposition.* 

•  The  views  which  I  have  f.  rmerly  so^gestecl  with  regarc'  to 
aluv.al  formations,  and  the  licrh  in  which  they  have  been  on- 
Bidered  by  Professor  Eaton,  of  Bur-'ington  College,  may  be  ^eeu  t>v 
a  reference  t..  hi*  valuable  work,  entitled  4n  IndtX  to  the  Gtoloiu 
oj  the  Northern  States,  second  edition,  p.  262. 


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V.  Day.— (J%  28/A.)— We  left  Fort  Gratiot,  at 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.      For  the  first  half  mile, 
a  strong  rapid  is  encountered,  on  reaching  the  head 
of  which,  we  find  ourselves  on  the  level  of  Lake  Hu- 
ron, at  an  elevation  of  twenty-nine  fee*  above  Lake 
Erie,  and  five  hundred  and  eighty-nine  feet  above 
the  ocean.*     Here  thr  lake  spreads  amply  bc'fore 
us,  and  we  shortly  find  the  prospect,  on  the  right, 
bounded  by  an  expanse  of  water,  (errainated  on  the 
line  of  the  horizon,  and  on  the  left  by  an  alluvial 
shore,  covered  chiefly  with  a  growth  of  white  pine, 
poplar,  and  birch,  and  skirted  on  the  water's  edge, 
by  a  broad  beach  of  gravel  and  sand.     In  coaatifig 
along  this,  there  is  little  to  interest.    Tho  view  of  the 
lake,  which,  at  first,  pleases  by  its  novelty,  soon  be- 
comes tiresome  by  its  uniformity,  and  the  eye  seeks 
in  vain  to  relieve  itself  by  some  rock  bluff,  or  com- 
manding elevation,  upon  the  shore.     One  or  two  spe- 
cies of  duck,  the  plover,  and  a  small  kind  of  gull, 
with  white  feathers  and  sharp  pointed  wings,  have 

•  These  facts  are  deduced  from  the  following  estimates  : 
Fall  of  Detroit  river,  twenty  tulles,  at  six 

inches  per  mile         ....      10  feet. 
Fall  of  St.  Clair  rivert  thirty  miles,  at 

four  inches  per  mile  •        .        .      10  feet. 

Rapid  of  St.  Clair  river,  extending  three 

»"»le» 9  feet. 


Elevation  of  Lake  Erie,  above  the  tide 
waters  of  the  Hudson,  according  to 
the  survey  of  the  New- York  Canal 
Commissioners         .... 


29  above  L.Eric. 

560  feet. 
989 


appeared,  to  variegate  the  scene.    In  landing,  at  on« 
or  two  places  along  the  shore,  we  found  the  pet.bles 
and  loose   stones  to  consist,  principalljr,  of  horn- 
blende,  granite,  sienite,  and  limestone.    Among  the 
latter,  are  several  large  masses,  containing  numeroua 
•pec.es  ol  petrified  remains-(co«Mo/^.,  and  eri^. 
tohte,.)    The  soil,  after  leaving  the  head  of  St.  Clair 
^.ver,  appears  to  degenerate,  grows  sandy  and  ste- 
rile,  and  ,n  some  placen  mar8h^  and  a  marked  dif- 
fcrence  ,n  the  forest  trees  is  observable.      Maples 
and  the  oeech,  and  elm,  beome  rare,  and,  in  thei^ 
stead,  we  perceive  pines,  poplars,  the  b.rch,  and  the 
hemloek  e  have  passed  several    considerable 

indentations  ,n  the  shore,  and  other  places  which 
have  names  known  to  the  voyageurs,  or  to  the  In- 
dians  but  as  most  of  them  are  trifling  or  huiicious, 
and  I  cannot  conceive  the  bare  enumeration  of  the 

fill  or  mteresting,  I  have  omitted  to  record  them    a 
pract.ce,  which  I  purpose  to  adhere  to,  duHnrtU 
future  progress  of  the  expedition.     The  Canfd  an 
voyageurs,  have  passed  the  greatest  part  of  their  lives 
along  theso  coasts,  and  in  scenes  of  hardship  and 
danger.     These  people  are  continually  pointing  out 
to  us  p,         ^herethey  have  formerly  encamped- 
broke  the.r  canoes-encountered  difficulties  with  the 
natives,  or  met  with  some  other  occurrence,  either 
pleasant  or  disagreeable,  which  has  served  to  imprint 
the  scene  upon  their  memories.     Thc^e  is,  perhaps, 
no  t^omjlee  along  the  whole  southwestern   shore 
of  Lake  Huron  which  is  not  the  scene  of  some  such 
occurrerjce.      it  is  by  no  means  certain,  however, 
that  such  point,  are  designated  by  names  in  univer- 
sal use,  even  among  themselves  ;  and  in  a  countiy, 


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WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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86 

where  there  are  no  permanent  settlements,  local  ap- 
peii.ations  are  necessarily  subject  to  be  changed,  or 
fall  into  disuse.  There  are,  however,  certain  pro- 
minent points  and  features,  in  the  topography  of  eve- 
ry savage  country,  which  are  universally  known  by 
established  names  among  themselves,  and  deserve  to 
be  perpetuated  in  the  permanent  geography  of  the 
country.  Such  are  the  names  of  ail  rivers,  streams, 
bays,  promontories,  and  mountains,  which  are  proper 
subjects  to  enrich  our  maps,  and  to  employ  the  pen 
of  the  tourist. 

We  progressed  thirty-five  miles  during  this  day, 
in  a  general  course  northwest,  and  encamped  upon 
the  open  beach  of  the  lake.  The  wind  has  been 
lightly  ahead.  The  greatest  observed  heat  of  the 
atmosphere,  has  been  55°;  the  water  of  Lake  Huron 
standing,  at  the  same  time,  at  58°. 

Vf.  Day.— (Jl%  2M.)— In  passing  along  the  mar- 
gin of  the  lake,  for  a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  liUle 
diversity  in  the  natural  appearances  of  the  country, 
has  been  presented.  At  the  distance  of  about  fif- 
teen miles  beyorid  our  encampment  of  the  twenty- 
eighth,  the  shore  of  the  lake  assumes  an  elevation 
of  thirty  or  forty  feet,  terminating  in  a  perpendicu- 
lar bank  at  the  water's  edge,  which  continues  six  or 
eight  miles.  While  passing  along  this  coast,  at  the 
distance  of  one  or  ^wo  miles,  it  was  difficult  to  de- 
termine, even  with  the  aid  of  an  excellent  magnify- 
ing glass,  whether  this  bank  consised  of  a  ledge 
of  rocks,  or  a  stratum  of  compact  clay.  Its  dark 
colour  led  us  to  suppose  it  was  bituminous  slate, 
fragments  of  which  had  been  observed  upon  the 
sliore,  at  no  groat  distance  beyond  the  point  of  its 


87 

termination  j  but  this  doubt  was  satisfactorily  eolvei 
upon  our  return.  „he„  tbat  part  of  the  shoVwa, 
foond  to  consist  of  a  stratum  of  dark  tenacious  blue 
clay  the  colour  of  which  wao  rendered  more  intense 
by  the  dashing  of  the  waves  against  the  foot  of  "he 
bank,  and  which  thus  kept  it  continually  wetted  for 
e«ht  or  ten  feet  above  tl,e  common  leve^  of  tt  Ja 

bank,  (about  fifty-Bve  miles  above  Fort  gJ;^^-^ 
passed  the  White  Rock,  an  enormous  ^^^1": 
of  transmon*  limestone,  standing  i„  ,he  lake  aUh. 
^.stance  of  half  a  mile  from  the' bore.    Th';  Is  » 

appear,  to  b,  «TO„„ec,ed  wiih  ,„,  c«^T'       ,  "'"^  """ 

".pec.  .o„w„.,  p<»i.io.;  /„:l7;  eT.r.'""''  r* 

gio...  .0  Which  i,  app«„  foreJ™       tV!   i^T   :^  '""'■'»- 
b.H,  pen„i,«,o  m.„,i„„,hrfactofL  '  ""'""<"»«■«' 

tare  i.  ,„aicienl  lo  „,i,rj  „  ,h,,  u,,^'^'^  °'  !'»  '«'™'  f'ac- 

reliqaa,  appear  squally  c...-,cla,i!.  ^f  .  ""^  °'  °1^""> 

la*  of  .he  mole™Jt^ehar,hl' ''""'7 '■'"•"''■•  '"  ">• 
ofprW.i.eli,„«„J  ZIT.'JT      '."'"^^  '""'  "•"1..S 

wlO.  any  .pecimen.  of  w.l  T  .        '"■  "  ""Parlson 

fled  madrepore   ret„,l,Zwd  «™,„.,.„ce,  i,  ,  p,,^. 

.he„f„„,  i  ..jiZd  L^rpiz,:  '■""  r'"""'-  '^'••'• 


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object  looked  upon  as  a  kind  of  mile  sione  by  the 
Toyageui  8,  and  is  known  to  all  canoe  and  boat  travel'^ 
iers  of  the  region.    It  has  already  found  a  place  up- 
on some  maps.  The  White  Rock  is  an  object  which 
had  attracted  the  early  notice  of  the  Indians,  who 
are  the  first  to  observe  the  non-conformities  in  the 
appearances  of  a  country;  and  it  continues  to  be 
one  of  the  places  at  which   offerings  are  made. 
How  far  these  offerings  are  to  be  considered  as  par* 
taking  of  the  nature  of  religious  worship,  will  admit 
©f  great  diversity  of  opinion.     We  have  heard  much 
fpeculation  concerning  the  religion  of  the  Indians, 
and  the  subject  has  recently  called  forth  the  talents 
and  research  of  a  very  interesting  writer,*  but  the 
want  of  opportunities  of  personal  observation,  has 
led  him  into  some  conclusions,  which  we  do  not  think 
warranted  by  the  existing  state  of  society  among 
the  northern  Indians.    In  the  true  acceptation  of  the 
term,  the  Indians  have  no  religion  ;  but  they  believe 
in  the  existence  of  a  great  invisible  spirit,  who  re- 
sides in  the  region  of  the  clouds,  and  by  means  of  in- 
ferior spirits,  throughout  every  part  of  the  earth.     It 
is  not  ascertained,  however,  that  they  acknowledge 
the  gift  of  life  from  this  spirit,  or  pay  him  the  homage 
of  religious  adoration.     MamtOf-f  in  the  Indian  lan- 

•  Dr.  Jarvis.    See  the  Annual  Discourse  before  the  New- York 
Historical  Society,  1819. 

f  This  word  is  employed  to  signify  the  same  thing,  by  all  the 
tribes  extending  from  the  Arlcansaw  to  the  soarces  of  the  Missis- 
sippi; and,  according  to  Mackenzie,  throughout  the  arctic  regions. 
It  may,  with  many  others,  (the  coliec  iion  of  which  would  form 
the  subject  of  a  very  interesting  work,)  be  quoted  to  strengthen 
an  opinion,  for  which  there  appears  aajpie  grounds,  that  the 
erratic  tribes,  of  the  northwestern  region,  and  of  the  valley 


guage,  signifies  «  spirit."  They  hare  good  and  bad 
maB.toes  ,  great  and  small  ™anitoe,  ,  a  manito 
or  every  cave,  water-fall,  or  other  commanding  ob- 
ject m  nature,  and  generally  make  oflerings  a,  such 
places.  These  tributary  acknowlcdgmenl  howev 
cr,  we  have  observed,  are  such  things  as,  in  their 
nature,  a,^  perfectly  useless  to  the  sav;ges  ,Z 
broken  gun  barrel,  a  pair  of  old  mockasins  or  leggins 
a  broken  paddle,  or  olher  useless  or  trifling  ar^^ 

able  oflenng  we  have  observed,  but  they  never  leave 
a  silver  arm  band,  a  beaver  skin,  a  knUe,  a  hatchet 
or  other  substance  of  utility.  Neither  is  there  that 
solemnay  observed  in  making  these  deposites  which 
has  been  represented,_„or  does  there  appear  to  be 
any  obligation  upon  individuals  to  make  them,  or  to 
!  cnew  them,  at  any  regular  periods.    The  thi,«  ap- 

of  the  MiMUsippi,  arealldescendanl.  from  »„.  ...-i,    „u,„t . 

.r  ,7'°  """""^  '-  """"  K'^'  allowance,,  L  ,h,  „° „„^ 
no.,  we  Bod  .he  moat  celebrated  traveller  of  the  Le.    ■'  Wha, 

su.pd.ty  of  Ihe  human  race,  throughout  the  new  con.inent-th! 

rousl.  '^''""''   ^'"*"^  """^  «'''"  *»•«  '«"?"age  of Varba! 

rous  nat.ons  only,  seem  to  be  wr#.rLa  «f  i  ^        laroa- 

12 


90 

pears  entirely  optional,  and  is  often  accidental.  Of- 
ferings are  made  when  they  happen  to  pass  by  any 
scene  capable  of  exciting  wonder;  but  they  seldom, 
if  ever,  undertake  journies  to  perform  them.  Their 
bad  manitoes  answer  to  our  Devil,  but  I  have  not 
learned,  that  their  bad  manitoes  are  considered  to 
be  subservient  to  one  great  bad  manito.  Neither 
do  I  know,  that  the  connexion  existing  between  the 
good  manitoes,  from  the  most  inferior  up  to  the 
great  spirit,  is  precisely  what  1  have  stated  it  to  be, 
or  that  there  is  any  fixed  and  uniform  understanding 
among  them  respecting  it ;  but  my  impression  is,  that 
an  understanding  of  this  kind  is  universal. 

All  are  more  or  less  superstitious,  and  believe  in 
miraculous  transformations,  ghosts,  and  witchcraft. 
They  have  jugglers  and  prophets,  who  predict 
events,  who  interpret  dreams,  and  who  perform  in- 
cantations and  mummeries.  Great  solemnity  is  ob- 
served on  occasions  of  this  kind,  when  men  and  wo- 
men are  ceremoniously  arranged  around  the  walls  of 
a  cabin  appropriated  to  these  mysteries,  and  while 
they  alternately  assist  in  the  performance  of  a  round 
of  unintelligible  ceremonies,  the  spectator  finds  a 
difficulty  in  restraining  his  laughter.  A  magic  rod 
suddenly  darted  at  the  person  who  is  the  subject  of 
operation,  causes  him  to  fall  as  if  struck  dead.  A 
whiff  from  a  tobacco  pipe  communicates  new  spirit 
to  him,  and  he  arises  reinstated  in  his  former  health 
of  body  or  mind.  The  most  remarkable  of  these  cer- 
emonie  ,  is  called  the  medicine  dance,  where  all 
sorts  of  bodily  ailments,  are  affected  to  be  cured ; 
and  persons  in  the  Inst  stages  of  existence  are  some- 
times brought  out  to  undergo  these  ceremonies,  who 


'i«r 


11 

die  while  they  are  performing.  Yet  their  faith  is  not 
destroyed ;  it  is  consiJered  the  signal  interposition 
of  some  bad  spirit  who  has  prevented  the  operation 
of  the  medieine,  that  is,  the  ceremony,  for  physical  aids 
are  not  relied  upon  in  these  cases :  and  if  one  in  ten 
who  have  been  subjects  of  operation,  recover,  the 
success  in  that  case  is  alone  dwelt  upon,  and  the  nine 
unsuccessful  ones  disregarded.  Such  is  the  religion, 
— the  superstition,  and  the  knowledge  of  medicine 
of  the  lake  savages,  blended  as  they  appear.  It  is 
ditiicult  to  separate  them,  and  to  say  how  much 
may  be  considered  religious,  or  mere  mummery. 
Much  allowance,  however,  is  to  be  made  on  account 
of  our  ignorance  of  their  languages, — on  account  of 
bad  interpretation,  and  the  unfavourable  sentiments 
we  may  entertain  from  early  prejudices,  or  from 
other  causes,,  jvhich  are  apt  to  influence  our  opin- 
ions and  views. 

As  to  the  success  which  has  attended  the  attempts 
to  introduce  Christianity  among  them,  it  is  difficult 
to  perceive,  that  any  materiAl  change  has  been 
worked  among  the  tribes  so  remote.  The  French 
Missionaries  were  the  most  successful,  particularly 
with  the  Hurons,  and  many  of  the  Indians  siill  retain 
some  of  the  signs  and  symbols  of  the  Catholic  reli- 
gion. Silver  crosses  delivered  to  them  a  century 
ago  by  Jesuit  priests  are  still  preserved  and  worn, 
and  they  profess  a  great  veneration  for  them.  This 
veligion,  striking  as  it  has  always  appeared  to  the  il- 
literate and  vulgar,  by  its  splendid  ceremonies  and 
external  signs,  appears  to  have  presented  great  at- 
tractions lor  the  Indians.  They  do  not  appear,  how- 
ever, to  retain  any  notions  of  the  doctrines  taught, 


4 


'j4 


w 


h  \ 


9^ 

arul  so  far  rs  I  have  been  able  to  learn,  do  not  msh  to 
bedisturbecJ  by  the  introductton  of  any  relipon,  pre^ 
fermg,  ,„  the.r  emphatic  language  "to  follow  the  re- 
ligionoftbeirfathers."  They  may  not,  however,  b.  the 
proper  judges  in  this  cas,^,  and  it  requires  the  olten- 
tion  and  perseverance  of  christians  and  religious  so- 
cieties to  effect  a  moral  reform  among  them.     Of  the 
feasibihtyofwell  directed  efforts,  there  can  be  no 
doubt;   but  hitherto  the  little  attention  which  has 
been  bestowed  upon  them,  seems  to  have  reached 
them  through  missionaries  badly  selected  for  the 
task.     The  savage  mind,  habituated  to  sloth,  is  not 
easily  roused  into  a  state  of  moral  activity,  and  is  not 
at  once  capable  of  embracing  and  understanding 
the  sublime  truths  and  doctrines  of  the  evangelical 
law.     It  IS  necessary  that  letters,  arts,  and  religion 
should  go  hand  in  hand.    It  is  probable,  also,  that 
a  plainer  and  more  familiar  mode  of  explanation  than 
that  commonly  practised  in  refined  society,  would  be 
found  productive  of  its  advantages,  at  least,  in  the 
commencement  of  moral  and  religious  instruction 

On  embarking  this  morning  we  had  the  wind  light- 
ly ahead,  which  continued  during  the  forenoon,  but 
changed  so  that  we  were  able  to  make  use  of  our  sails 
in  the  afterncjon.    About  four  o'clock  the  weather 
became  cloudy  and  hazy,  and  the  wind  increased 
in  violence,  attendc^d  by  thunder.    A  storm  was  has- 
tily  gathering,  and  the  lake  became  so  much  agita- 
ted  that  It  was  thought  prudent  to  land  and  encamp. 
We  effected  a  landing,  with  some  difficulty,  on  a  very 
shallow  shore,  and  dangerous  from  the  number  of  de- 
tached  stones  projecting  above  the  water,  or  mere- 
Jy  hid  beneath  itj  and  pitched  our  tents  on  a  narrow 


I'V* 


93 


neck  of  land  nearly  separated  from  the  main  shore, 

and  covered  with  a  beautiful  growth  of  fore.t  trees. 

Shortly  after  our  arrival  at  this  place  a  vessel  hove 

m  sight,  and  afterwards  came  to  anchor  within  half 

a  mile  of  the  land,  the  wind  blowing  a  gale  ashore. 

He  were  apprehensive  the  vessel  would  be  driven 

from  her  mooiring,  but  the  night  passed  without  ac- 

cident.     la  the  course  of  the  day  we  pansed  several 

canoes  of  Indians,  and  uniformly  found  them  in  want 
oi  provisions. 

VII.  DAY-O^a^,  30/A.)~Detained  by  unfavoura- 
ble  winds.      The  shore   of  the   lake   is  strewed 
with  water  worn  masses  of  rocks  of  the  same  kinds 
a  ready  mentioned,  and  wc  still  find  graniie  and  horn- 
blende to  predominate.     No  rock  has,  however,  yet 
appeared  in  situ.    The  lands  adjoining  our  encamp, 
ment,  are  generally  low  and  swampy,  and  the  forest 
consists  ol  hemlock,birch,  ash,  oak,  and  some  maple. 
Among  the  plants  the  convallaria  augustifolia,  and  a 
species  of  Indian  Brassica,  have  been  noticed.     1  he 
margin  of  the  lake  is  skirted  with  bull-rushes,  quake 
grass,  {brtza  canadensis,)  and  other  aquatic  plants. 
The  greatest  observed  heat  of  the  air  has  been  53°. 
wind  N.  E.  .  " » 

VIII  DAY.-(Jtf«y  3l,/.)-Still  detained  by  head 
winds.  In  loitering  along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  examin- 
ing the  loose  stones,  discovered  inadetached  block  of 
mica  slate,  several  large  and  well  defined  crystals  of 
staurotide,*  of  a  dark  reddish  brown  colour,  moderate 

KaLTlhTt"*  \"""'"'PP'"'''''"''°"  "'"'"?  fr""  ^he  variety  of 
"ames  which  have  been  appUed  by  mineralogists  to  the  aame  sub- 


V: 


91 


*■• 


I 


iiarJness,  and  perfectly  opaque.  Near  tlie  same 
spot  a  number  of  petrifactions  (ce/^on/e«  and  mae/re- 
pontes^)  were  observed  in  the  detached  fragments  of 
limestone,  found  along  the  coast ;  but  what  excited  a 
^  particular  interest,  was  a  large  block  of  granitic 
rock  imbedding  globular  pebbles  of  hornblende. 
This  rock,  as  being  a  quarternary  comf)ound  of  feld- 
spar, quartz,  mica,  and  hornblende,  would  be  consider- 
ed a  ^rant/l/e  according  to  the  suggestions  of  Kirwan. 
The  masses  of  hornblende,  which  are  in  most  in- 
stances pure  and  unmixed,  in  others  contain  feld- 
spar and  quartz,  thus  indicating  a  transition  of  one 
substance  into  the  other  which  does  not  admit  of  a 
ready  explanation.  Will  the  present  state  of  mine- 
ralogical  science,  justify  us  in  considering  this  sub- 
stance as  a  primitive  breccia  ?  or  is  it  a  granitic 
porphyry  ? 

stance,  an  introduction  of  synonomies  has  become  necessary  in 
all  elementary  works  on  mineralogy  ;  nor  does  it  appear  less  re- 
quisite in  books  of  general  information,  which  are  often  read  by 
those  whose  business  or  leisure  does  not  permit  a  reference  to  ele- 
mentary treatises.  It  must  moreover,  be  considered  a  fault  in  eve- 
ry hook,which  compels  its  readers  to  bunt  over  scarce  or  voluminous 
works  for  insulated  facts,  which  are  the  only  parts  of  such  works, 
that  happen  at  the  time,  to  interest  them.  I  shall,  therefore,  perhaps 
accumulate  a  body  of  notes,  which  will  not  recommend  this  narrative 
to  readers  of  a  certain  class,  but  I  shall  aim  to  introduce  no  more 
than  appears  to  me  necessary  to  a  correct  understanding  of  the 
subjects  brought  into  view.  In  the  present  instance  I  have  follow- 
ed Cleavelaod  in  designating  a  certain  crystalline  combination  of 
«lumine,8ilex,  and  oxide  of  iron,  stouro/ufe.  The  same  substance  is 
called  GranatU  by  Werner,  and  OrenatUe  by  Jameson  and  Bro- 
chant.  An  analysis  of  this  mineral,  by  Klaproth,  gave  alumine 
52.25,  silex  27,  oxide  of  iron  18.50,  oxide  of  raaognnese  0.25.=98. 


IX.  Day.— (/Mn«  I*/.)— The  wind  abating,  we  em- 
barked this  morning  at  six  o'clock,  but  on  proceed- 
ing about  one  league,  it  again  arose  to  such  a  pitch, 
that  it  became  necessary  to  effect  a  speedy  landing. 
Such  are  the  delays  to  which  our  voyage  is  contin- 
ually exposed.  Shortly  after  landing  the  Indians 
were  sent  into  the  woods  in  quest  of  game,  and  a  par- 
ty of  soldiers  and  engag^es  went  to  on  adjacent  riv- 
er for  the  purpose  of  fishing,  but  after  an  absence  of 
four  or  five  hours,  both  parties  returned  without 
success.  In  the  mean  time,  the  agitation  of  the  lake 
had  ceased,  and  the  wind  sprung  up  in  our  favour ; 
we,  therefore,  embarked  again  at  three  in  the  after- 
noon, and  proceeded  under  sail  to  Saganaw  Bay,  a 
distance  of  twenty-five  miles,  where  we  encamped 
after  twilight,  having  successively  passed  Elm  creek* 
Black  river,  and  Point  aux  Barques, — the  latter  form- 
ing the  southeastern  cape  of  Saganaw  Bay. 

At  the  distance  of  a  league  before  reaching  Point 
aux  Barques,  we  perceive  the  first  stratum  of  rock 
in  situ,  which  consists  of  a  secondary  sandstone  of  a 
greyish  white  colour  and  very  friable  texture.  It 
forms  a  horizontal  ledge  of  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  in 
height,  immediately  upon  the  lake  shore,  but  the 
continuity  of  the  stratum  is  interrupted  by  small  bays 
and  inlets,  worn  into  the  rock  by  the  violence  of  the 
storms  and  tempests,  which  prevailing  from  the  north, 
have  an  uninterrupted  sweep  from  the  Straits  of  St. 
Mary,  across  the  widest  part  of  the  lake,  until  they 
are  opposed  by  the  perishable  sandstone  of  Point  aux 
Barques.  Here  the  waves  beat  with  the  utmost  fury, 
and  by  prostrating  the  opposing  barrier  into  heaps  of 
sand,  have  manifestly  extended  the  dominions  of  the 


4il 


«6 


-%' 


lake,  while  the  winds  have  heaped  the  disintegrated 
ruint  into  vast  sand  hills  and  ridges,  that  skirt  the 
borders  of  the  lake,  and  exhibit  all  the  fanciful  forms 
which  a  tempest  is  capable  of  communicating  to  the 
drifting  sands  of  the  ocean.     These  ridges  are  now 
covered  with  a  growth  of  the  pitch  pine,  the  Ameri- 
can  nspcn,  and  the  pj^rola  rotundifblia;— productions, 
which  delight  to  grow  upon  the  most  sterile  sand 
banks.    Insulated  masses  of  the  rock  covered  with 
forest  trees,  form  several  islands  in  t\te  lake  along  this 
coast  at  the  distances  of  one,  and  two  miles,  and  by 
the  perfect  similarity  of  the  stone,— its  horizontal  po- 
sition, and   other  geological  correspondences   re- 
main as  the  monuments  of  their  former  connexion 
with  the  main  land.     These  operations  give  to  this 
part  of  the  lake,  and   particularly  to    the  outer 
shores  of  Saganaw   Bay,  a  broad  beach  of  sand 
intervening    between  the   woods  and    the   water, 
which  affords  innumerable  harbours  for  encamp- 
ing, and  one  of  the  safest  shores  for  boat  and  ca- 
noe navigation.     The  frailty  of  these  vessels  is  not 
here  threatened  by  those  hidden  blocks  of  granite 
and  other  primary  stones,  which  we  have  found  so 
very  annoying  along  the  coast  between  Fort  Gratiot 
and  Point  aux  Barques,-for  with  the  commencement 
of  the  sand  rock,  and  sand  beaches,  these  substance* 
have  entirely  disappeared.     If,  as  along  other  parts 
of  this  lake,  these  detached  masses  of  primary  for- 
mation, once  lined  the  shores  of  Saganaw  Bay  and 
the  adjacent  coast,  the  subsequent  inroad  of  the  lake 
upon  the  main  shore,  has  left  them  at  the  bottom  of 
the  water  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  or  two  off  land 


As  the  sand  stone  of  Point  au«  Barques,  has  no  over- 
Joying  stratum  of  rock,  and  the  water  prevent,  us 
from  ascertaining  that  upon  which  it  re«t«,  some 
difficulty  would  arise  in  pointing  out  its  geological 
character,  were  it  not  indicated  by  the  organic  re- 
mams  (ensmatolites)  which  we  find  in  a  state  of 
petritaction,  in  the  most  compact  parts  of  it 

Saganaw  Bay  is  by  far  the  largest  of  the  n'umerous 
inlets  which  serve  to  indent  the  very  irregular  shore, 
f  1  i."T  '!  "  ^^•"P^t^d  to  be  sixty  miles  in 
deph,dhd  thirty  in  width,  and  has  a  number  oi 
small  islands,  the  most  considerable  of  which  i. 
Shawangunk  Island,  situated  nearly  i„  it,  centre. 
The  navigation  is  safe  for  vessels  of  any  burden,  and 
Its  numerous  coves  and  islands,  present  some  of  the 
best  harbours  in  the  lake.     At  its  southern  extremity 

v^  h  bold  shores,  and  made  up  of  a  great  numberof 
tributaries    which   irrigate  an    extensive   country 
reputedtobeone  of  the  most  fertile  and  delightfu 
in  the  Territory  of  Michigan.     The  banks  of  this 
stream  are  now  inhabited  by  detached  bands  of  Chip, 
peway  and  Ottaway  Indians,*  who  have  long  enjoyed 
the  advantages  of  an  easy  subsistance,  from  the  fine 
burning  grounds  in  that  vicinity,  and  the  abundance 
of  fish  afforded  by  the  bay  and  other  tributary  wa- 
ters.    These  lands  have  recently  been  disposed  of 

-•.* 'V'aII'"'^"*'**^  that  the  northern  missionary  «K>ioty  of  the 
«.ty  of  Albany  are  about  to  establish  a  n,is.io„aryT2  upon 
.ome  ofthe  tributary  streams  of  Saganaw  river.an/thatn  agent 


■f 


13 


98 


8 


to  the  United  Stages  government,  and  will  shortly  be 
thrown  into  market.  From  the  terms  ot  high  admi- 
ration of  which  all  continue  to  speak  of  the  riches  of 
the  soil,  and  the  natural  beauty  of  the  country,  and 
its  central  and  advantageous  position  for  business^ 
we  are  led  to  suppose  that  it  presents  uncommon  in- 
citements to  enterprising  and  industrious  farmers  and 
mechanics. 

X.  D/,y-^(Jme  2t/.)~fn  order  to  cross  Saganaw 
Bay  with  saff  ty  in  a  canoe,  it  is  necessary  to  pass  up 
the  eastern  shore  from  Point  aux  Barques  to  Point 
aux  Chenes,  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles.  Here,  if 
the  Jake  be  calm,  the  voyageur  crosses  by  o  stretch 
of  twenty  miles  to  the  opposite  shore,  with  the  advan- 
tage of  landing  on  the  island  of  Shawangunk,  should  a 
storm  overtake  him  in  the  centre  of  the  Bay,  which 
is»  frequently  the  case.  On  gaining  the  opposite 
shore,  it  is  necessary  to  pass  down  the  bay  about 
the  same  distance  that  was  formerly  ascended,  be- 
fore tlie  open  lake  is  again  reached.  The  entire 
crossing  can  easily  be  performed  in  one  day  if  the 
weather  is  favourable,  but  this  does  not  always  hap- 
pen, and  the  fatal  accidents  that  have  formerly  be- 
fallen those  who  were  too  venturesome,  have  opera- 
ted as  a  Gevere  caution  to  voyngeurs  and  canoe-tra- 
vellers of  the  present  day.  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  in- 
duce the  former  to  attempt  it,  unless  the  weather  be 
perfectly  clear  and  the  bay  calm.  Fortunately,  we 
were  not  detained  by  these  causes,  and  effected  the 
cwnsir.g  and  re-ent:v  of  the  lake  at  so  seasonable  an 
hour,  that  we  wer<'  allowe<l  time  to  proceed  two 
leagues  beyond,  and  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  the 


99 

river  aux  Sables,  making  an  entire  distance  of  fifly-six 
miles.     In  crossing  the  bay  we  landed  a  few  moments 
upon  Shawangunk  island  which  is  found  to  be  based 
upon  compact  limestone,  and  contains  imbedded 
masses  of  Chalcedony,  and  calcareous  spar.    I  also 
picked  up,  during  the  short  period  we  remained,  a 
lump  of  the  argillaceous  oxyd  of  iron,  and  some  de- 
tached fragments  of  a  coarse  striped  jasper.     These 
discoveries  created  a  strong  desire  to  make  a  geolo- 
gical survey  of  the  island,  but  we  were  prevented 
from  attempting  it,  by  the  necessity  of  an  expeditious 
progress  across  the  bay  while  the  weather  favoured. 
On  reachmg  the  river  aux  Sables,  we  found  a  number 
of  Chippeway  Indians  upon  the  shore,  and  a  perma- 
nent village  at  the  distance  of  two  miles  above  its  dis- 
charge.    They  appeared  friendly,  and   as  soon  as 
our  tents  were  pitched  came  formally  to  the  Govern- 
or's marque.    A  chief  of  the  Chippe'.-ays  then  ad- 
dressed the  Governor  in  a  speech  in  which  he  told 
him  that  he  was  glad  to  see  him  there— that  he  had 
heard  of  his  coming~and  hoped  he  would  see,  and 
relieve  their  wants,  &c.     The  pipe  of  peace  was  then 
smoked  in  the  usual  style  of  Indian  ceremony,  by 
handing  it  to  all  present,  each  one  taking  a  whiff 
which  is  all  that  is  required:  when   this  ceremony 
was  ended,  they  commenced  that  of  shaking  hands,* 

•  The  practice  of  shaking  hands  we  afterwards  found  universal 
among  the  northwestern  tribes,  but  were  unable  to  ascertain 
Whether  it  is  an  ancient  custom,  or  has  been  introduced  by  their 
intercourse  with  Europeans.  To  uscertain  that  a  custom  so  an' 
c.en  and  so  universal  in  the  Old  World,  and  which  i,  one  ^  the 
most  stnkmg  characteristics  of  civilized  nations,  was  also  preva- 
lent  among  the  aborigines  of  America, at  the  period  of !»-''-«,.. 


100 

beginning  with  the  Governor,  and  passing  round  In  a 
circle  to  each  individual  composing  his  suite.    They 
after^wards  presented  some  fresh  sturgeon  {accipenser) 
Which  are  caught  in  abundance  in  that  river,  and  re- 
ceived in  return  some  tobacco  and  v,  hiskey,  and  then 
departed  to  their  villages.     We  were  anxious  to  wit- 
ness how  our  Indians,  on  first  landing,  would  conduct 
themselves  towards  those  of  the  river  aux  Sabl^s^ 
and  whether  they  would  demonstrate  any  feeling  of 
joy  or  satisfaction  upon  the  interview,  and  were  some- 
what disappointed  to  see  a  total  indifference,  or  re- 
serve, maintained.     They  appeared  neither  to  see, 
or  know  each  other,  nor  could  we  learn  that  any  fa- 
miliarity ensued  between  them  during  our  stay  at 
that  place.     Nothing  appeared  to  give  them  so  much 
satisfaction  as  the  whiskey  they  received,  and  when 
It  was  drank  they  presented  a  request  for  more.  We 
have  since  observed,  that  the  passion  for  drinking 
spirits  is  as  common  to  the  tribes  of  this  region,  as  it 
is  to  the  remnants  of  the  Iroquois,  inhabiting  the  wes- 
tern parts  of  New- York.    To  procure  it  they  will 
part  with  any  thing  at  their  disposal,  and  if  they 
have  no  furs  or  dried  venison  to  exchange,  they  will 
sell  their  silver  ornaments,  their  guns,  and  even  parts 
of  tlieir  dress.     They  generally  become  intoxicated 
whenever  an  opportunity  is  presented,  and  a  trader 
or  traveller  can  present  nothing  which  is  of  half  so 
much  value  in  their  estimation.     We  have  generally 

«ry,  would  establiah  a  coincidonre  of  the  most  important  ntlure. 
But  the  period  for  nmkins:  this  observalion  has  long  gone  by— 
Th-re  art'  probably,  no  tribes  noxv  in  America,  who  have  not 
some  kuowledge  of  Europeans,  or  their  American  descendants 


^\y 


101 

found  it  the  first,  and  the  last  thing  enquired  for  Jt 
appears  this  habit  was  contracted  at  alej.period 
hy  the  akc  fndians,  and  the  anecdote*  that  CharJe- 
VO.X  relates  of  an  intoxicated  Indian,  is  a  proof  that 
t  jvas  common  in  his  time.  Jt  is  due,  however,  to  the 
tnbes  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the  heads  of  the  Mia! 
8.s«pp,,  to  say,  that  we  found  them  far  less  eager  for 
ivhiskey  than  the  more  contiguous  tribes,  and  that 
cases  were  presented,  in  which  it  was  not  relished. 

^Q  ^r^'^'i'r*  •^^)-'^»>«  distance  from  the  river 

ing  to  he  .sland,~thence  to  Flat  Rock  Point,  called 
br  heChippeways,  Sho-she-ko-naw-be-ko-king,  eight 
miles     These  form  the  extreme  points  of  ouf  jour- 
«ey  dunngthis  day.     After  leaving  the  aux  Sables 
five  or  SIX  m.les,  a  ridge  of  highland  appears  visible 
from  the  lake,  at  some  distance  back,  and  continues 
in  a  general  direction  north  northwest,  which  is  that 
of  the  lake  coast,  to  Thunder  Bay,  and  then  bears  fur- 
ther  west,  and  becomes  invisible.     In  crossing  Thun- 
der Bay,  we  halted  at  an  island  which  lies  in  the 
track  of  the  usual  traverse,  for  a  short  time,  and 
whde  there,  observed  a  kind  of  Indian  altar  erected 
beneath  a  tree  near  the  water's  edge.    This  consists 

•«  An  Otla«ray,  called  John  Le  Blanc,  who  was  a  bad  chrls- 
■an  and  a  gn-at  drunkard,  on  hein;,  a«ked  by  the  Count  D.  Fron^ 
tenac.  what  he  thought  the  brandy  of  which  he  was  .o  food,  wa 
niadeof.he  sa.d  of  tnnguesand  hearts,  for,  added  he,  after  I  have 

•  L'^mt  du  Tomin,  of  the  old  French  writers. 


102 

of  a  block  of  quartzy  granite,  worn,  apparently  by 
the  water,  into  a  columnar  shape,  terminated  by  a 
kind  of  cornice,  and  on  account  of  its  remarkable 
shape  r  nd  appearance,  had  probably  been  carried 
from  the  water's  edge  and  set  up  at  that  spot.  It  is 
probable  also  that  this  column  of  granite  is  dedicated 
to  one  of  their  numerous  iocal  gods  or  manitoes, 
and  that  he  is  supplicated  for  prosperous  voyages 
across  the  Bay. 

What  has  been  so  often  reiterated,  as  to  the  high- 
ly electrified  state  of  the  atmosphere  at  this  Bay, 
seems  to  have  no  foundation  in  truth.     There  is  no- 
thing in  the  appearance  of  the  surrounding  country,— 
in  the  proximity  of  mountains,— or  the  currents  of 
the  atmosphere,  to  justify  a  belief  that  the  air  con- 
tains a  surcharge  of  the  electric  fluid.    In  no  place 
does  the  coast  attain  a  sufficient  altitude  to  allow  us 
to  suppose  that  it  can  exert  any  sensible  influence 
upon  the  clouds,  nor  is  it  known  that  any  mineral 
exhalations  are  given  out  in  this  vicinity,  as  has  been 
suggested,  capable  of  conducing  towards  a  state  of 
electrical  irritability  in  the  atmosphere.     From  the 
northwest  cape  of  Saganaw  Bay,  to  the  vicinity  o( 
Flat-Rock-Point,  we  find  the  shore  of  the  lake  an 
alluvial  bank,  edged  with  a  beach  of  sand,  with 
masses  of  primary  and  floetzose  rocks,  sparingly  scat- 
tered along  the  shore,  or  projecting  above  the  wa- 
ter.    In  no  instance  do  the  rock  strata  jut  out  along 
the  shore,  until  we  reach  Thunder  Bay,  and  here 
they  are  not  elevottd  more  than  two  or  three  feet 
above   the  level  of  the  water,  but  generally  very 
much  shattered  by  the  violence  of  the  storms,  so  as 
rather  to  present  a  bed  of  rubbish,  than  a  ledge  of 
rock.     This  rock,  where  it  can  be  examined,  is  a 


103 

compact  limestone,  abounding  in  petrified  remains, 
and  IS  seen,  although  the  stratum  is  occasionally  inter- 
rupted,  from  Thunder  Bay  to  Shoshe-Konawbekokinff 
the  site  of  our  present  encampment,  where  the  num- 
ber and  variety  of  reliquae,  the  perfect  state  of  pe. 
trifaction  they  present,  and  the  facility  with  which 
they  are  disengaged  from  the  rock,  are  very  surpris- 

Xn.  Day.-(/«„,  Ath.)  We  embarked  at  six  o'clock, 
but  after  proceeding  about  a  league  were  driven 
ashore  by  a  thunder  storm,  which  suddenly  arose, 
attended  with  a  violent  wind  and  rai-.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  hours  the  storm  abated,  and  we  again  took 
the  lake,  but  a  renewal  of  the  storm,  on  going  seven 
or  eight  miles,  again  compelled  us  to  the  shore, 
where  we  were  detained  during  the  remainder  of 

Ihe  Middle  Island,  now  bears  from  our  encampment 
due  north,  an<l  is  distant  six  or  eight  miles  from  the 
shore.     This  island  affords  a  shelter  to  vessels  en- 

*  Among  these  relics,  we  find  various  species  of  concholites.erig- 

nau>!,tes,  and  helmintholites.  We  particuia  :,  recognize  the  cornu- 

r  wTTl'     '  '°"f '  ""^  '^'  *^*"^P''"^« '  "'"^  *he  comu-ammon. 

found  abundantly  along  this  part  of  the  coast.  Many  of  th^se 
rehcs  have  already  been  noticed  in  the  floetz  rocks  of  the  United 
States,  particularly  by  Dr  Drake,  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  by  Mr. 
taton,  m  the  valley  of  the  Hudson,  and  by  J.  G.  Bogert  Esq 
along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  it  is  believed  an 
increased  attention  to  the  subject,  is  all  that  is  required  to  render 
our  Fossil  Zoology,  as  rich  as  that  of  any  other  countrv.  Geolo- 
gists have  yet  to  learn,  however,  that  the  fltshy  part  of  snakes  or 
other  amphibious  animals,  has  ever  been  discovered  in  a  state  of 
petrifaction  ! 


101 

gaged  in  the  lake  trade,  and  is  occasionally  resorted 
to  by  canoe-travellers. 

XIII.  Day.— (/«««  5/^.)     The   wind    still  conti- 
nuing ahead,  it  was  concluded  to  send  the  canoes 
along  the  shore,  with  the  soldiers  and  voyageurs, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  party  proceeded  on  foot. 
At  ten  o'clock  we  reached  Presque  Isle,  and  carried 
our  canoes  and  baggage  across  the  portage,  which 
is  about  tmo  hundred  yards,  over  a  low  sandy  neck 
of  land,  connecting  the  peninsula  with  the  main 
short.     By  this  portage,  we  save  a  voyage  of  six  or 
eight  miles  abound  a  point  of  land  which  projects,  at 
tilAl  place.  Into  the  lake.     On  reaching  the  head  of 
the  porlage'ijwe  found  that  the  wind  had  increased 
to  such  a  de|rce  as  to  render  it  impossible  to  pro- 
ceed, and  we  encamped  upon  the  sand.    Here  our 
Indians  brought  in  a  brown  rabbit,*  a  species  of  wa- 
ter turtle,  and  some  pigeons;  being  the  only  success 
met  with  in  hunting  since  leaving  Detroit,  with  the 
exception  of  a  partridge,  (a  species  of  grouse,)  killed* 
a  few  days  previous.     It  is  not  to  be  inferred,  how- 
ever, that  the  country  is  destitute  of  game,  or  the  sa- 
vages lack  skill  in  hunting  it,  but  the  plentiful  sup- 
ply of  provisions  which  they  have  derived  from  the 

•  This  is  presuniPd  to  be  a  variply  of  the  American  Hart^  of 
zoologists,  -nd  may  be  distinguished  by  the  following  characters  : 
Body  about  eighteen  inches  long,-colour  of  the  hair  greyish- 
brown  on  the  back,— greyish- white  beneath,— neck  and  body 
rusty  and  cinereous,— lefs  pale  rust  colour,- tail  short,  brown 
above,  while  beneath,— hind  legs  longest,  and  callous  a  short  dis- 
tanoe  from  the  paws  up— ears  tipped  with  black,— covering  of 
the  body,  rusty  fur,  beaeath  long  coarse  hair,— probable  weight 
9ix  pounds. 


105 

iiome^tock  of  the  expedition,  takes  away  much  of 
tho  usual  incitements  to  hunting,  while  either  the  ra- 
pidity of  our  movements,  or  the  momentary  expecta- 
tion of  re-embarking,  while  detained  by  head  winds, 
has  prevented  them  from  straying  any  considerable 
distance  from  camp.    In  these  short  excursions,  they 
have  frequently  observed  the  tracks  of  the  deer,  and 
black  bear,  too  of  the  largest  animals  now  remaining 
m  the  forests  along  Lake  Huron.    Circumstances 
have  been  equally  unpropitious  in  their  attempts  up- 
on the  ducks,  and  other  aquatic  birds,  which  have 
occasionally,  although  not  in  large  flocks,  been  seen 
along  the  shores ;  for  the  noise  occasiomed  1^  our 
paddles  has  served  to  alarm  them  loii^  before  Mf 
could  approach  within  shooting  distance.  ^ 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  wind  abated,  and 
we  left  Presque  Isle  with  the  design  of  continuing 
in  our  canoes  all  night,  but  at  eleven  o'clock  the 
wind  had  freshened  to  such  a  degree,  and  the  night 
become  so  dark,  (hat  we  were  compelled  to  encamp, 
after  having  gone  about  twenty  miles. 

XIV.  Day — (June  6/A.)— From  the  place  of  our  en- 
campment on  the  5th,  to  the  island  of  Michilimack- 
inac,  is  computed  at  fifty-two  miles.  Our  ardent  de- 
sire of  reaching  that  place,  and  the  spirit  manifested 
among  the  voyageurs,  on  seeing  themselves  within  a 
day'sjourneyof  it,  produced  a  very  early  embarka- 
tion, and  notwithstanding  a  Moderate  head  wind,  we 
advanced  against  the  current  at  the  rate  of  five  miles 
per  hour,  and  entered  the  harbour  of  the  northwest- 
ern metropolis  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The 
intermediate  shore  of  Lake  Huron,  presents  no 
change  of  character  worthy  of  remark ;  the  same 

H 


kind  of  soil,  the  same  trees,  the  same  rock  strata  and 
'pcbhijr  shore,  and  the  same  unvaried  expanse  of  wa- 
ter towards  the  north,  serve  to  imprint  a  character 
of  uniformity  upon  the  scene.      Among  tli^  forest 
trees,  pine,  hemlock,  and  spruce  predominate,  mixed 
with  some  maple,  oak,  birch,  and  poplar.     No  bluffs 
appear  along  the  shore,  but  the  rock,  where  appa- 
rent, is  a  compact  limestone  with  organic  remains. 
Fragments  of  hornblende,  granite,  breccia,  and  trap, 
all  very  much  water  worn,  and  not  in  place,  corUinue 
along  the  shore.  On  approaching  within  four  leagues 
of  Michilimackinac,  wc  perceive  ourselves  opposite 
the  foot  of  the  island  of  Hois  Blanc,  which  is  about 
ten  miles  in  length,  and  takes  its  name  from  the  l.irio- 
dendron  tulipifera  by  which  it  is  in  a  great  part  cov- 
ered.    It  is  here  necessary  to  cross  over  a  channel 
of  three  or  four  miles  in  width  to  the  island,  and  to 
pass  up  around  its  southern  margin  to  its  noiilmest- 
ern  extremity.      We  accomplished  this  part  of  the 
voyage  with  great  labour,  and  at  some  hazard  ;  the 
lake  being  so  much  agitated  as  frequently  to  throw 
the  waves  into  our  canoes.      In  passing  around  the 
southwestern  curve  of  the  island  of  Bois  Blanc,  we 
leave  the  site  of  old  Michilimackinac,  and  the  en- 
trance into  lake  Michigan,  on  our  leA,  and  it  is  here 
that  the  island  of  Michilimackinac  first  bursts  upon 
the  view.     Nothing'can  present  a  more  picturesque 
or  refreshing  spectacle  to  the  traveller,  wearied  with 
the  lifeless  monotony  of  a  canoe   voyage  through 
Lake  Huron,  than  the  first  sight  of  the  island  of  Mi- 
chilima^inac,  which  rises  from  the  watery  Ijorizon 
in  lofty  bluffs  imprinting  a  rugged  outline  along  the 
sky,  and  capped  with  two  fortresses  on  which  the 
American  standard  is  seen  conspicuously  displayed. 


107 

A  compact  town  stretches  along  the  narrow  plalq 
below   the  hills,    and   a   beautiful   harbour  chec- 
quered  with  American  vessels  at  anchor,  and  Indian 
canoes  rapidly  shooting  across  the  water  in  everjt 
direction.      There  is  no  previous  elevation  of  coast 
to  prepare  us  for  encountering  tlie  view  of  an  island 
elevated  more  than  three  hundred  feet  above  the  wa- 
ter, and  towering  into  broken  peaks  which  would 
even  present  attractions  to  the  eye  of  the  solitary  tra- 
veller, among  the  romantic  and  sublime  scenes  of  the 
wilderness  of  Arkansaw.  Independent  of  its  imposing 
features,  and  its  pleasing  novelty,  we  feel  an  inexpres- 
sible degree  ol  delight,after  traversing  an  Indian  wil- 
derness of  nearly  four  hundred  miles  in  extent,  to  find 
ourselves  once  more  approaching  the  seat  of  a  civil- 
ized population,  with  all  its  concomitant  blessings.  It 
can  only  be  known  to  those  who  have  traversed  sa- 
vage regions — who  have  subsisted  long  without  the 
most  common  conveniencies  of  life — with  what  feel- 
ings the  traveller  approaches  scenes,  where,  even 
for  a  few  days,  he  is  to  renew  former  modes  of  living, 
and  to  partake  of  the  advantages  of  a  refined  socie- 
ty.    At  an  intermediate  distance  between  Bois  Blanc 
and  Michilimaekinac,    lies  Round   Island,  a  well 
timbered  islet,  that  serves  to  land-lock  the  harbour 
of  Michilimackinac,  which  we  immediately  entered, 
on  clearing  the  northern  cape  of  this  island,  and  en- 
camped on  the  narrow  plain  below  the  fort,  and  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  town.     The  expedition 
was  received  with  a  national  salute  from  the  garri- 
son, and  we  landed   amid  the  congratulations  of  a 
number  of  the  citizens  who  had  assembled%n  our  ar- 
rival.   Thus  terminates  the  first  part  of  our  journey, 
after  a  tedious  voyage  oi  fourteen  days,  in  which  we 


108 


have  encountered  an  almost  continual  head  wind, 
with  showers  of  rain,  and  very  little   weather  that 
can  be  considered  as  warm  for  tlie  season,  the  high- 
est point  at  which  the  thermometer  has  been  observ- 
cd  being  70%  and  the  mean  daily  temperature  51".  • 
We  have  also  found  the  natural  history  of  the  coun. 
try,  less  interesting  in  the  main,  than  was  expected; 
and  the  scenery  has  not  been  sufficiently  diversified 
to  keep  up  a  general  interest.      Particular  scenes 
have  attracted  admiration,  but  it  has  arisen  wholly 
from  the  mildness  and  beauty  of  their  outlines,  and 
the  pleasing  effect  of  the  water  j  an(|»not  from  any 
features  of  boldness  or  sublimity.      The  islands 
along  the  shore,  have  served  to  give   relief  to  the 
eye,  when  often  there  was  nothing  else  to  excite  an 
interest.     The  quadrupeds,  the  birds,  and  the  plants, 
would  furnish  very  interesting  objects  to  the  land 
traveller,  but  can  only  be  glanced  at  by  the  hasty 
voyagcur.      The  chalcedony  of  Shawangunk,  and 
the  staurotide  procured  near  Elm  creek,   are  the 
prmcipal   substances  that  reward  a  mineralogical 
search  of  the  shores.     It  is  the  geology  of  the  region 
only  that  sustains  a  general  interest,  and  promises  a 
rich  reward,  and  we  have  been  enabled  to  make 


*  Meteorological  ObHfrvafiom  ott  Lake  Hnrvu 


Date. 


Huron 

im. 

'   30th; 


3Iit. 


Air. 


A.M. 


10:11   li  4   «  g 


'(; 


« 

44 

4A|     l« 

,i4'j5 


P.M. 


Water. 


roi 


46 


JUIH)  lit. 


"   «ilh. 


43 


n 


\i* 


.1- 


_A.2t. 

lo' 


44  M 


.!!* 


t» 

«o 


SI 


14  41 

i?i-:Cf-i 


n 


P_M^ 

;5s, 

«3 


Me«n  I  Muni  prcTail.! 
[tfrnpitemp.     in|r 
ofwitjol»w.;windi 


591 


.« 


44 


59 


49 


|4fll     4T 


35rr 


4g 
53 

flT 

Jl9_ 
50    I     50 


Weather. 
2^^'  ,  Thunder/ 


w.  iT  iciar 


w. 

WNW. 
WNW. 


»i5t^   10)516 


Rain. 
Cloudy. 

Clear7~ 


m 


Tcry  ample  collections  both  of  hand-specimens  of 
rock  strata,  and  ofimbedded  fossilis.  The  soil  until 
reaching  the  head  of  St  Clair  river,  is  an  alluvion, 
that  may  be  considered  equal  in  quality  with  the  val- 
ley of  the  Ohio  or  the  Mississippi,  but  from  thence 
to  Michilimackinac  partakes  too  much  of  the  sand  of 
the  shore,  and  is  in  many  places  swampy,  with  th© 
exception  of  the  fine  rcgioiijabout  Saganaw,  and  the 
extreme  point  of  the  peninsula  of  Michigan. 

The  distance  from  Detroit  to  MichiUmackinac, 
is  computed  at  three  hundred  miles,  by  those  who 
perform  the  r<^te  in  vessels  of  a  large  size,  but  i» 
considerably  more,  as  will  appear  from  the  follow* 
ing  table,  when  all  the  indentations  of  the  shore  are 
followed. 

OP  THE  STATIONARY  DISTANCES  BETWEEN  DETHOrP  ANB 
THE  ISLAND  OF  MICHIUMACKINAC. 

To  the  upper  end  of  Peach  Island,  and  en-  **""'   ^'""  **'""' 

trance  into  Lake  St.  Clair.     - 
Grosse  Point.  ... 

Mouth  of  Huron  River,  of  Lake  St.  Clair, 
Mouth  of  St.  Clair  River, 
Belle  Rividre,  at  St.  Clair  settlement, 
Blai'k  River,  ... 

Fort  Gratiot,  ... 

White  Rock,  .        .      4 

Elm  Creek        .... 
Bliick  River,     .... 
Point  Aux  Barques, 
Point  Aux  Chines,  on  Saganaw  Bay, 
Shawangunk  Island, 
River  Aux  Sables,     ... 
Thunder  Bay  Island, 
Flat  Rock  Point,  near  Middle  Island, 
Presque  Isle  ... 

Lower  end  of  the  Island  of  Bois  Blanc, 
Micbiliraackinac,      ... 


6 

S 

15 

8 

18 

9 


55 

10 

12 

12 

18 

11 

30 

40 

18 

20 

60 

12 


9 
24 

32 
60 
69 

n 

126 

136 

148 

160 

178 

189 

210 

1250 

268 

288 

348 

360 


m 


w 


CHAPTER  lit 

StXBATS  MEXIDEJWE  AT  MICHlLIMACKmAC,  /J^LUBIJm 
A  VISIT  TO  THE  ST.  MABTIJ^S  ISLAJ^DS. 


XV.  DAY.--(/Mn«  7th.) 

1  HE  island  cf  Michilimackinac  is  nine  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, and  coi/ers  an  area  of  about  seven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  Its  extreme 
elevation  above  the  lake  is  three  hundred  and 
twelve  feet,  according  to  the  observations  of  the 
garrison,  and  nine  hundred  feet  above  the  Atlantic 
ocean,  which  is  something  more  than  half  the  height 
of  the  Highlands  of  the  Hudson .♦    Although  its 

•  The  altitude  of  the  following  points  has  been  ascertained  by 
admeasurement : 

HIGHLANDS  Oik  NEW-YORK. 

West-Point,  above  the  Hudson 
Fort  Putnam, 
Bare  Mountain, 

Ci..  1  M   Nj'-'j 

Butler.. IiJJ, 

*v^..y  l.eacon,  (east  side) 
The  highest  peak  of  the  Tatsklll  mountain,  ascalcu- 

lated  by  Capt  Partridge, 
Highest  peak  of  the  Aiieghanies,  in  Pennsylvania, 


188  feet 

598 

1350 

1418 

1529 

1582 

S804 
1300 


,  Acktrly'a  Essay  on  th»  Gsology  nf  the  Hudson. 


^        111 

bluffs  present  the  appearance  of  sterility,  they  are 
covrrcd  with  a  strong  soil,  which  is  continually  re- 
novated by  the  spontaneous  decomposition  of  calca- 
reous rock,  and  the  island  has  been  long,  and  we  arc 
led  to  believe,  very  justly,  celebrated  for  the  salu- 
brity of  its  atmoHphere.     It  contains  three  objects 
of  natural  curiosity  whl^b  are  generally  visited  by 
strangers.   The  Giant's  M,-^The  JYaturai  Pyramid, 
or,  sugar  loaf  rock,  and  Ihe  Scull  Rock.     The  for- 
mer is  a  natural  arch  projecting  from  the  precipice 
on  the  northeastern  side  of  the  island,  about  a  mile 
from  the  town,  and  elevated  one  hundred  and  forty 
ieet  above  the  level  of  the  water.     Its  abutments  are 
the  calcareous  rock  common  to  the  island,  and  have 
been  created  by  the  falling  down  ol  enormous  mass- 
es of  the  rock,  leaving  a  chasm  of  eighty  or  ninety 
feet  in  height  and  crowned  with  an  arch  of  fifty  or 
^ixty  feet  sweep,  having  the  usual  curve  of  factitious 
arches.     The  best  view  is  from  the  beach,  at  the 
water's  edge.     On  viewinij  it  from  above,  you  are 
obliged  to  approach  within  ten  or  twelve  feet  of 
the  chasm  by  which  it  is  produced,  before  it  can 
be  distinctly  seen,  so  that  the  effect  of  perspective 
is  lost.     The  natural  pyramid   is  a  lone  standing 
rock,  upon  the  top  of  the  bluff;  of  probably  thirty 
feet  in  width,  at  the  base,  by  eighty  or  ninety  in 
height,  of  a  rugged  appearance,  and  supporting,  in  its 
crevices,  a  lew  stunted  cedars.    It  pleases  chiefly  by 
its  novelty,  so  wholly  unlike  any  thing  to  be  found 
in  other  parts  of  the  world,  and  on  first  approaching 
it,  gives  the  idea  of  a  work  of  art     Its  appearance 
is  readily  explained  by  perceiving  it  to  be  a  calca- 
reous carbonat  of  the  same  character  as  that  upon 
which  it  is  based,  and  retaining  its  original  geologi- 


t# 


I-    ^:i 


112 

.  cal  siiuation,  and  hy  supposing  it  to  be  the  relic  of  a 
stratum  which  formerly  extended  to  that  depth  over 
the  whole  island.  There  is  every  appearance  to 
justify  the  conclusion,  that  such  a  decay  and  removal 
of  rock  matter  has  taken  place. 

The  Scull  Rock  is  chiefly  noted  for  a  cavern  which 
appears  to  have  been  ainihcient  receptacle  of  hu- 
man bones,  many  of  which  are  still  to  be  observed 
about  its  mouth.  The  entrance  is  low  and  narrow, 
and  seems  to  promise  little  to  reward  the  labours  of 
exploration.  It  is  here  that  Alexander  Henry  was 
secreted  by  a  friendly  Jr^dian,  after  the  horrid  mas- 
sacre of  the  British  garrison,  at  O/d?  Michiliraackinac, 
in  1763.* 

The  present  town  of  Michilimackinac  is  pleasantly 
situated  around  a  small  Lay,  on  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  island,  and  consists  altogether  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  houses,  several  of  which  are 
handsomely  painted.   Its  permanent  population  doeg 
not  differ  far  from  four  hundred  and  fifty,  but  is  some- 
times swelled  by  the  influx  of  traders,  voyageurs  and 
Indians,  to  one  or  two  thousand.     The  harbour  is 
safe  in  all  winds,  and  suflSciently  large  to  accommo- 
date a  hundred  and  fifty  vessels.     Fort  Michilimac- 
kinac stands  on  a   rocky  eminence,   immediately 
above  the  town.,  and  is  at  present  garrisoned  by  a 
company  of  infantry,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Peirce.     Fort  Holmes  occupies  the  apex  of  the 
island,  and  is  not  at  present  garrisoned.     This  for- 
tress was  erected  by  the  British  while  they  held 
possession  of  the  island,  during  the  late  war,  and  by 
Ihcm  named  Fort  George.    But  after  the  surrender  of 


•  See  Henry's  Travels  and  Adventure?,  p.  110. 


• 


113 

the  island,  the  name  was  altered  In  compliment  to 
the  memory  of  Major  Holmes,  who  fell  in  the  un- 
fortunate  attack  upon  the  island,  by  Col.  Croglian. 
The  town  of  Micihilimackinac  is  now  the  seat  of  jus- 
tice for  a  county  of  the  same  name,  which  has  re- 
cently been  erected  in  this  part  of  the  Michigan 
Territory.     According  to  the  observation  of  Lieut. 
Evileth,  it  lies  in  north  latitude  45°  M— which  is 
only  23'  north  of  Montreal,  as  stated  by  Professor 
Silliman.*    It  is  in  west  longitude  from  Washington 
city,  7"  10'.  ^^ 

A  VI.  Day. — {June  8t%.)    In  consequence  of  a  re* 
ported  discovery  of  gypsum  upon  the  St.  Martin's 
islands,  which  belong  to  the  Michilimackinac  clus- 
ter,  I  was  directed  by.Gov.  Cass  to  make  a  mi- 
neralogical  survey  of  those  islands,  and  to  report 
upon  the  quantity  and  the  quality  of  the  gypsum 
found.     To  convey  me  thither  an  arrangement  had 
been  made  with  Capt.  Knapp,  commanding  the  Unit- 
ed States  revenue  cutter  on  this  station,  and  accom- 
panied by  Capt.  Douglass,  of  the  expedition,  and 
Lieut.  Pierce,  of  the  army,  I  went  on  board  the 
cutter  this  morning,  at  ten  o'clock.     We  were  fa- 
voured with  a  wind,  and  after  accomplishing  the  ob- 
ject  of  the  voyage,  returned  to  the  harbour  of  Mi- 
chilimackinac before  dark.     The  St.  Martin's  isl- 
ands lie  about  ten  miles  northeast  of  Michilimacki- 
nac.    The  largest  is  about  nine  miles  in  circumfer- 
ence, by  three  broad  at  the  widest  part,  and  consists 
of  alluvial  soil,  covered  partly  with  a  forest  of  oak, 
maple,  and  poplar.    In  no  place  does  it  attain  an 

•  Lat.  of  Montreal,  45«»  C  l'.    SiUiman's  Tour  from  Hartford  to 
Quebec,  p.  341, 

15 


¥ 


}i 


ii.  1 1 


m 


114 


elevation  of  more  than  twenty  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  lake,  and  it  is  subject  to  a  partial  inundation 
in  the  spring,  when  the  sudden  melting  of  the  north- 
ern snows  produces  a  rise  of  water  in  the  lake.  Im- 
bedded in  this  soil,  which  appears  naturally  fertile, 
we  found  large  detached  masses  of  gypsum,  of  a  very 
fine  quality,  and  unconnected  with  any  adhering 
rock,  so  that  no  expense  of  blasting  is  necessary. 
The  principal  body  of  this  mineral  noticed,  consists 
of  the  granularf If  foliated  sulphate  of  lime  of  mineral- 
ogy, mixed  with  scattered  masses  of  the /6roMs  kind, 
very  white  and  beautiful.  A  great  variety  in  the 
colour,  and  its  varying  degrees  of  intensity  is  found, 
amoni>  which  white,  red,  and  dark  chesnut  brown 
predominate.  Altogether  the  specimens  bear  a  great- 
er resemblance  to  the  NovajScotia  gypsum,  of  whiph 
such  quantities  are  annually  imported  into  the  Unit- 
ed States,  tlian  any  of  the  numerous  beds  hitherto 
discovered  in  New-York,  and  other  sections  of  the 
Union.  And,  if  an  opinion  may  be  drawn  from  ex- 
ternal characters,  we  may  venture  to  consider  the 
St.  Martin's,  or,  as  it  is  already  called,  the  ^Mackinac 
gypsum,  of  a  suj>erior  quality  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses. As  to  the  quantity  in  which  it  exists,  nothing 
can  be  decisively  stated,  as  the  earth  has  not  been 
much  explored  ;  but  from  the  abundance  which  is 
scattered  over  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  from 
other  geological  appearances,  it  is  probable  that  the 
quantity  will  prove  exhaustless. 

XVH.  Day.--(/m/i«  9th.)  The  island  of  Michili- 
mackinac,  and  the  adjacent  coasts,  have  been  the 
theatre  of  some  of  the  t-iOst  interestirjg  events  in  the 
history  of  the  settlement  of  the  northwestern  regions 


11^ 


of  our  continent.  In  adverting  to  them,  I  shall 
apply  the  term  modern  to  the  present  town  of  Michi^ 
limackinac,  in  order  to  distir)guish  it  from  the  an- 
cient town,  which  was  situated  on  the  extreme  point 
of  the  Peninsula  of  Michigan,  about  three  leagues 
distant  from  the  island.  It  appears  from  Herriot,^ 
that  the  settlement  of  the  old  town,  is  due  to  the  ex- 
ertions of  Father  Marquette,  a  French  missionary, 
who  came  here  in  1671,  with  a  party  of  Hurons, 
whom  he  prevailed  on  to  locate'  themselves  at  that 
spot,  where  a  fort  was  constructed,  and  it  afterwards 
became  an  important  post.  This  was  eight  years 
before  La  Salle's  expedition  through  the  lakes,  and 
was  the  first  point  of  European  settlement  made 
northwest  of  fort  Frontenac,  or  Cadaracqui,  on  Lake 
Ontario.f 

M.  Tonti,  Hennepin,  Charlevoix  and  other  ancient 
French  writers,  when  they  speak  of  Michilimacki- 
nac,  allude  to  the  old  peninsular  fort.  It  continued 
to  be  the  seat  of  the  fur  trade,  and  the  undisturbed 
rendezvous  of  the  Indian  triUes  during  the  whole  pe- 
riod that  the  crown  of  France  exercised  jurisdiction 
over  the  Canadas.  After  the  fall  of  Quebec  in  1759, 
it  passed  by  treaty  into  the  possession  ot  the  British 
government,  but  much  against  the  wishes  of  the  In- 
dian tribes,  who  from  long  habits  of  intercourse  with 
the  French,  entertained  an  attachment  and  a  par- 
tiality which  it  was  not  easy  to  counteract.  Such 
was  the  spirit  of  animosity  entertained  by  the  Indians, 

*  See  Herriot's  Travels  through  the  Canadas,  p.  196. 

t  Neither  Fort  Niagara,  or  Fort  Poiichartrain,  fthe  present  site 
of  Detroit,)  was  then  in  existence.  The  foundation  of  the  former 
was  laid  by  La  Salle,  in  167B,-- the  latter  had  not  been  erected 
when  La  Hontan  passed  through  the  country,  in  1688. 


.,^'-'* 


I 


116 


I 


that  one  of  the  first  English  traders,  (Alexander 
Henry,)   who   ventured  to  visit    Michilimackinac, 
found  it  necessary  on  his  arrival   at  that  place  in 
1761,  to  conceal  the  circumstance  of  his  nativity,  and 
to  conduct  his  trade  under  the  name  of  a  French 
assistant  whom  he  had  employed.      When  the  de- 
ception was  a  few  days  afterwards  discovered,  hie 
goods  were  only  saved  to  him,  by  the  fortunate  ar- 
rival of  a  British  garrison  of  300  men,  who  gave  pro- 
tection to  the  English  trade,  and  compelled  the  In- 
dians, for  a  lime,  to  smother  the  flame  of  their  animo- 
sity.    It  was  only,  however,  to  break  forth  with  re- 
doubled violence,  and  the  massacre  of  this  garrison, 
which  ensued  about   eighteen  months  afterwards, 
(1763)  while  it  exhibits  one  of  the  most  shocking  in- 
stancfs  of  Indian  barbarity,  is  at  the  same  time,  a 
striking  proof  of  the  sagacity  and  dissimulation  of  the 
Indiaf)  character.     It  appears  from  the  very  interest- 
ing account   which  is  given  of  this   transaction  by 
Henry,  who  was  an  eye  witness,  that  the  Indians  were 
in  the  habit  of  playing  at  a  game  called  bag-gat-iway, 
which  is  played  with  a  ball  and  bat, on  the  principles 
of  our  foot-ball,  and  decided  by  one  of  the  party's 
heaving  the  ball  beyond  the  goal  of  their  adversa- 
ries.    The  king's  birth  day,  the  4th  of  June,  having 
arrived,  the  Sacs  and  Chippeways,  who  were  encamp- 
ed in  great  numbers  around  the  fort,  turned  out  up- 
on the  green,  to  play  at  this  game,  for  a  high  wa- 
ger, and  attracted  a  number  of  the  ga*-rison  and  tra- 
ders to  witness  the  sport.      "The  game  of  baggat- 
iway,  is  necessarily  attended  with  much  violence 
and  noise.     In  the  ardour  of  contest,  the  ball,  as  has 
been  suggested,  if  it  cannot  be  thrown  to  the  goal 
desired,  is  struck  in  any  direction  by  which  it  can 


117 

be  diverted  from  that  designed  by  tlie  adversary. 
At  such  a  moment,  therefore,  nothing  could  be  less 
liable  to  excite  premature  alarm,  than  that  the  ball 
should  I  o  tossed  over  the  pickets  of  the  fort,  nor  that 
having  fallen  there,  it  should  be  followed,  on  the  in- 
stant, by  all  engaged  in  the  game,  as  well  the  one  par- 
ty as  the  other,  all  eager,— all  struggling,— all  shout- 
ing, in  the  unrestrained  pursuit  of  a  rude  athletic 
exercise ;  nothing,  therefore,  could  be  more  happily 
devised,  under  the  circumstances,  than  a  stratagem 
like   this  ;  and  it  was,  in  fact,  the  stratagem  which 
the  Indians  employed  to  obtain  possession  of  the 
fort,  and  by  which  they  were  enabled  to  slaughter 
and  subdue  its  garrison,  and  such  of  the  other  inhab- 
itants as  they  pleased.       To  be  still  more  certain  of 
success,  they  had  prevailed  upon  as  many  as  they 
could,  by  a  pretext  the  least  liable  to  suspicion,  to 
come  voluntarily  without  the  pickets ;  and  particu- 
larly the  commandant  and  garrison  themselves."* 

This  event  finally  sealed  the  fate  of  the  fort  and 
the  town,  after  having  been  the  seat  of  the  fur  trade 
for  ninety-two  years.    The  Indians,  after  butchering 
the  garrison,  burnt  down  the  fort,  and  the  English 
afterwards  took  possession  of,  and  fortified  the  isl- 
and of  Michilimackinac,  which  had  previously  giv- 
en name  to  the  fort  on  the  Peninsula.      No  event  of 
importance  appears  to  have  disturbed  the  tranquil- 
ity, or  retarded  the  growth  of  the  modern  town,  for  a 
long  period,  during  which  its  trade  and  size,  were 
both  considerably  increased.     During  the  American 
revolution  we  hear  nothing  of  it,  except  as  the  ren- 
dezvous of  hostile  tribes.     By  the  treaty  of  Paris,  of 
1783,  acknowledging  the  independence,  and  fixing 

*  Henry,  p.  85. 


J     !i' 


118 

(h(f  buuiutarieooi'dio  United  StnteR,  it  Mi  unilertlie 
jiiriHdielion  of  the  A<uiM'itmi  govorniinnl,  and  wm 
Hiirrrndurrd,  accordirij^  to  McKeiiKir, in  i  iiM.  liy. 
ring  the  lute  war,  (I HI 2— H)  the  tort  whh  aurprinod 
hy  a  body  of  British  troops,  and  mninth:ncd  until 
Hnrrtuidorcd  by  the  treaty  «><* Ghent  of  1U14.  In  tho 
nienntiino  an  unHUCooHsruhiHRuull  wm  matUi  upon  it, 
by  ('ol.  Croghnii,  who  find  distingniuhed  himHeirin  ao 
coriMpicMiouM  a  manner  in  tho  defence  of  f*  ort  St  iSte- 
plienH,  at  flower  SanduHky.  Tliis  asHnult  was  marlc- 
cd  l>y  the  death  of  ttie  gallant  MaJ.  llolmeH,  who  felt 
at  the  licad  of  hio  column  in  attempting  to  drive  the 
cn(Muy  from  a  commanding  position. 

XVIII.  Day. — (June  lOth.) — B'ew  perBons  have  viti- 
ited  tluH  Island  without  being  Htruck  with  the  variety 
and  lluMielieacy  of  the  fiuh,  which  are  caught  in  tho 
vicinity.  Among  them  we  see  two  Hpecica  of  trout, 
the  lake  herring,  black  and  white  baeis,  Hturgoon, 
ino8»jnenoiige,  white  fibh  (ticamaug  of  the  hidianu) 
pike,  gar,  |».m'cIi,  and  catfinh,  witliHevcral  other  Hpe> 
oies  of  cavtilaginou!:*,  and  Hhell  fluh.  Of  these 
the  whitr  fiHli  is  most  esteemed  for  the  richness  and 
delicacy  of  its  Jlavonr,  and  there  is  a  universal 
ac(piicsctMicc  in  the  opinion  formerly  advanced  by 
Charlevoix,  "  ihnt  whether  fresh  or  salted,  nothing 
of  the  (ihIi  kind,  can  excel  it."  We  cannot,  however, 
agree  w  ith  the  Haron  l^a  Hontnn  in  the  remark  ^^  that 
i(  has  one  singular  property,  namely,  that  all  sorts 
ofwiiiices  sjioil  it.""  Tliis  fine  fish  is  very  abundant 
around  the  island,  and  is  taken  with  the  hook  and 
line.  It  has  not  In'ictofore  been  described  in  ichthy- 
ological  works,  but  Governor  Clinton  is  disposed  (o 


119 


consider  it  a  non-descript  species  of  the  aalmo  gc- 


nuu. 


XIX.  Day.— (/MWfl  i  I/A.)— The  geological  charac 
ter  ol  the  island  of  Michilim.icki.mc,  presents  some 
ieutures,  which  so  fur  iis  observations  have  enabled 
us  to  judge,  are  peculiar  to  it.     It  cooHists  of  a  stra- 
tum oi' limestone  of  inunense  thiekncBH,  based  upon 
a  calcareous    rock,  in    which  the  HCMni-cryslallinc 
structure,  and  almost  entire  absence  of  fossil  remains, 
prove  its  intennediate  age.      'J'his  formation  is  not 
elevated  more  than  a  foot  above   the  level  of  the 
lake,an<l  extends  horizontally  under  t!io  island.  It  is 
overlayed  by  the  rock  forming  the  binds  which  have 
so  commanding  an  appearance  on  the  approach  to 
the  island,  and  attaining  various    levations  from  one 
hundred  to  three  hundred  i'oet.    Its  compact  struc- 
ture, and  imbedded  fossils  leave  no  doubt  as  to  its 
postmor  deposition,  but  what  strikes  us  as  peculiar 
in  this  formation  is  the   circumstance  of  Uh  being 
made  up  of  fragments  of  both  transition,  and  compact 
limeslone,  with   cavitiew  of  carbonot  of  lime  in  the 
powdery  form,  (agaric  mineral)  together  with  small 
fragments  of  a  species  of  striped  (linty  agate,  and  in- 
numerable small  crystals  of  calcareous  spar,  thus  giv- 
ing II  a  breccioidal  appearance.    It  is  to  be  observed, 
however,  that  no  fragmenis  of  primitive  rock,  are 
found  ni  its   composition,  and  that   the  calcareous 
Iragmenls  are   acute-angled,  and  bear  no  marks  of 
attrition.       This  formation  is  handsomely  exposed 
at  the  bluir,  called   Hobinson's  Folly,  not  quite   a 

*  Memoir  on  the  fishea  of  the  wfigt«rn  wftten  of  thn  Mato  of 
Now- York,  uppondod  to  Mit<!,ill\  l.hihv.loKy.  l«l  vol.  Trans- 
actions  of  the  Literary  and  Philowphical  Society. 


120 

mile  cast  of  the  town.      The  organic  relics  found  in 
it  are  generally  in  the  state-of  chalcedoiij,  and  some- 
times  covered  with  minute  crystals  of  quartz.     Of 
this  the  best  instance  is  afforded  at  Fort  Holmes, 
where  the   British  garrison  attempted  to  procure 
water  by  sinking  a  very  deep  shaft,  but  without  suc- 
cess.    This  formation  has  not  been  traced  on  the  ad- 
joining shores.      We  shall  content  ourselves  with 
the  bare  mention  of  these  facts,  without  attempting^ 
in  this  place,  to  apply  them  to  existing  theories,  or 
received  classifications.      The  town  of  'Mackinac, 
stands  on  a  strip  of  alluvion  below  the  bluff,  consist- 
ing of  small  smooth  water  worn  pebbles  of  calcareous 
rock,  covered  with  a  deposit  of  black  soil  about  one 
foot  in  depth.  On  the  west  sideof  theisland,at  the  wa- 
ter's edge,  there  is  a  bed  of  light  blue  clay  which  is 
said  to  burn  white^  and  to  be  well  adapted  for  pipes, 
and  other  articles  of  pottery.      Among  the  detached 
minerals  of  the   island,  I  have  noticed  the  brown 
oxyd  of  iron,  and  radiated  quartz  upon  a  basis  of 
limestone,  together  with  fragments  of  the  flinty  agate 
of  the 'Mackinac  limestone,  which  has  just  been  meu- 
tioned.      Detached  blocks  of  rranile  and  hornblende 
rock^  are  scattered  over  the  ' ''  foU  of  this  islvid. 

These  are  the  leading  l^ait^  xiineralogy  and 

geology. 

XX.  Day.-^( June  12/A.)— Hitherto,  very  little  atten- 
tion  has  been  paid  to  agriculture  on  the  island,  al- 
though the  soil  is  not  deficient  in  strength.  Garden 
vegetables  grow  in  great  perfection.  We  have  parti- 
cularly remarked  the  dry  and  mealy  quality  of  the 
potatoe,  and  have  no  where  observed  finer  beets 
and  cabbages.    The  little  depth  of  soil,  is,  however, 


121 


unfavourable  to  forest  trees,  and  there  is  a  scarcity 
of  fire  wood  and  building  timber  upon  the  island.     A 
■upply  of  these  articles  is  procured  chiefly  from  the 
iieighbourinfiT  islands  of  Bois  Blanc  and  Round  Island. 
Stone  for  building,  and  for  quicklime,  is  abundant. 
There  are  a  number  of  sheep,  cattle,  and  horses  upon 
the  island,  all  of  which  thrive  well.     Tliere  is  nei- 
ther school  or  preaching  upon  the  island.  The  town 
has  a  post-office,  a  small  jail,  and  a  council  house,  in 
which  the  courts  of  justice  are   held.      There  is  no 
regular  bred  attorney,  although  two  persons,  occa- 
sionally practice.      The  only  physician  is  the  one 
attached  to  the  garrison.     There  appears  therefore 
in  the  present  society  of  'Mackinac  the  want  of  a 
preacher,  a  school-master,  an  attorney,  and  a  physi- 
cian,— of  merchants  there  are  always  too  many.  The 
etymology  of  the  word  MichUtmackinac,  admits  of  a 
ready  explanation.      It  is  a  compound  of  the  word 
missi  or  mmi7,  signifying  »  great,"  and  imckinac  the 
Indian  word   for  "turtle,"  from  a  fancied  resem- 
blance of  the  island  to  a  great  turtle  lying  upon  the 
water.      These  are  words  of  the  Chippeway  lan- 
guage.    Herriot  derives  this  name,  but  without  much 
probability,  from  fmakinakos^  an  Indian  spirit  suppo- 
sed to  have  formerly  inhabited   the   island.      Since 
our  arrival  here,  there  has  been  a  great  number  of 
Indians  of  the  Chippeway  and  Ottaway  tribes,  en- 
camped near  the  torn.      The  beach  of  the  lake  has 
been  constantly  lined  with  Indian  huts  and  bark  ca- 
noes.     The  savages  are  generally  well  dressed,  in 
their  own  costume,  and  exhibit  physiognomies  with 
more  regularity  of  features  and  beauty  of  expression, 
than  it  is  common  to  find  among  them.     This  is  pro- 
bably attributable  to  a  greater  intermixture  of  bioc4 

16 


'1  n . 


hi 


«i  l! 


122 

in  this  vicinitjr.     These  savages  resort  to  the  island 
for  the  purpose  of  exchanging  their  furs,  for  blank- 
etR,  knives,  and  other  articles.     Their  visits  are  pe- 
riodical, being  generalljr  made  after  their  spring  and 
fall  hunts,  and  their  staj  is  short    Some  of  the  tribes 
also  bring  in  for  sale,  several  articles  of  Indian  man- 
ufacture, particularly  a  kind  of  rush  mat  of  a  very 
handsome  fabric,  (see  Plat*  2,  Fig.  13,)  bark  has- 
kels  filled  with  maple  sugar,  called  moke-oeks,  (see 
Plate  2,  Fig.  3,)  with  quilled  mockasins,  (10  and  1  ],) 
shot  pouches  02,)  and  other  fancjvgoods  of  Indian 
febric,  which  are  generally  in  demand  as  articles  of 
curiosity. 

During  our  detention  here,  vessels  have  been  con- 
stantly entering  or  leaving  the  harbour,  giving  the 
town  an  appearance  of  bustle  and  business,  which 
was  not  expected.      This  appearance  of  trade  has, 
perhaps,  recently  assumed  a  partial  activity,  by  the 
concentration  of  a  considerable  military  force  on 
this  frontier,  which  has  furnished  employment  to  a 
number  of  vessels  in  the  transportation  of  troops, 
military  stores,  and  provisions.    The  Indian  trade  iJ 
chiefly  conducted  by  the  American,  or  South  West 
Fur  Company,  under  the  direction  of  Messrs.  Stuart 
and  Crooks.      Indeed  the  ware  houses,  stores,  offi- 
ces, boat  yards  and  other  buildings  of  this  establish- 
ment, occupy  a  considerable  part  of  the  town  plat, 
and  the  company  furnishes  emplr/ment  to  a  great 
number  of  clerks,  engages,  and  meihanics,  and  con- 
tributes  very  largely  to  the  general  business,  activi- 
ty,  and  enterprise  ol  the  town.    The  trade  and  ope- 
rations  ofthis  company  are  confined  principally  to 
the   northwestern  territories  of  the  United  States. 
As  to  the  amount  of  c-apital  vested,  and  the  quantity 


«3 

of  furs  annually  -turned  into  their  ware  houses,  we 
have  no  means  ol  accurate  information.  It  is  said 
tj  be  less  profitable  now,  than  at  a  former  period. 
Ihe  following  account  of  the  produce  of  the  fiir 
trade  for  one  year,  given  by  McKenzie,  will  serve  to 
give  an  idea  of  its  former  extent  : 


"  106,000 

2,100 

1,500 

4,000 

4,600 

16,000 

32,000 

1,800 

500 


Beaver  skins, 
Bear  skins, 
Fox  skins, 
Kitt  Fox  skins, 
Otter  skins. 
Musquash  skins, 
Martin  skins, 
Mink  skins, 


«  8,000  Lynx  skins, 
600  Wolverine  skins, 
1,650  Fisher  skins, 

100  Raccoon  skins, 
3,800  Wolfskins, 
700  Elk  skins, 
750  Deer  skins, 
1,200  Deer  do.  dressed, 


Buffaloe  Robes,  and  a  quantity  of  casto^ 


rum. 


Whether  thesk.ns  of  these  animals  continue  to  form 
the  staple  articles  of  the  trade-whether  the  propor- 
tion  of  skins  varies  greatly  in  different  years-4nd 
whether  there  is  an  increase  or  diminution  of  the  total 
amount,  are  the  secrets  of  a  business  of  which  we 
are  ignorant. 

The  weather  since  our  arrival  upon  the  island,  has 
been  cooler  and  more  variable,  we  are  informed, 
han  IS  common  during  this  month.  Out  of  six  days 
two  have  been  rainy  and  cloudy.  The  wind  has 
preva:  ed  from  the  S.  E.  The  highest  point  at 
which  the  thermometer  has  been  observed;  as  will 
be  seen  by  a  reference  to  the  foUowing  meteorologi- 

week  55 ,  which  ,s  eleven  degrees  lower  than  the  mean 


^* 


temperature  of  June  at  Quebec,  according  to  the 
observations  of  the  late  Duke  of  Richmond.* 

During  the  aHernoon  of  this  day  we  behehl  a  strik- 
ing instance  of  the  singular  manner  in  which  the  isl- 
and is  frequently  enveloped  in  a  fog,  which  is  so 
dense  as  to  obscure  objects  at  the  distance  of  two 
hundred  yards.  Being  at  the  moment  engaged,  in 
company  with  Lieutenant  Mackay,  in  sketching  & 
view  of  the  fort  and  town,  from  Round  Island,  we 
were  compelled  to  relinquish  our  designs  unfinished, 
and  it  was  with  some  difliculty  we  reached  the  har- 
bour of  'Mackinac.  These  togs  are  common  upon 
the  lakes  during  the  summer  season.  They  rise 
suddenly,  without  any  previous  indications  of  a  hazy 
atmosphere. — move  with  great  velocity,  and  some- 
times prove  disastrous  to  canoe-traveliers,  and 
voyageurs. 

•  Silliman'  Tour  to  Quebec,  p.    294. 


MeUoroligical  Ohs  rvations at MLhilimnckinar,.              | 

1820. 

Atmuipheric  temp. 

Mean 
trmp. 

Winds. 

Weather. 

A.  M. 

P  M. 

7 
46 

41 

H 
47 

5y 

5> 
55 

12 

6:.' 
64 
56 

2 
62 
t)8 
57 
6. 
54 
55 

6 
59 

4~ 

8 
54 

55 
66 

June  7th. 

W.N.  VV. 

Clear. 

"    8th. 

W   N.  W 

•• 

■*    9ih. 
"  ••   lOtii". 

'*9 

S.  E. 

Kain. 

56 

S.  E. 

Rum. 

"    llib. 

""4 
5,1 

,51 
52 

52 

S.E. 

Clear. 

"    I2i'i. 

59 

S.  R. 

(1 

•    13ih 

53 

S.  W.     1 

Clear,  quit  Mark,  at  10. 

7).i85 

55°  Mean  daily  temperature. 

— 

— 

at 

To. 

^^^    . 

CHAP.  IV. 
J  O  U  RJV  E  Y^ 

UnOM  MJCHiLIMAeKmAC  TO  THE  SAULT  HE  ST.  MARtE. 

XXI.  Day.— (June  13/A.) 

J-  HE  provisions  and  stores  shipped  from  Detroit, 
did  not  reach  'Mackinac  until  the  10th  instant.  We 
also  found  our  canoes  deficient  both  in  size  and  con- 
struction, and  that  to  embark  the  provisions  of  the 
expedition,  an  additional  number  would  be  requir- 
ed. To  secure  our  com,  flour,  bacon,  &c  more 
completely  from  exposure,  it  was  considerrd  advan- 
tageous to  get  the  principal  part  of  ihese  articles 
packed  up  in  ten  gallon  kegs,  an  arrangement  that 
would  also  very  much  facilitate  the  loading  and  un- 
loading, which  must,  at  least,  be  performed  every 
morning  and  evening.  Additional  sources  of  delay 
arose  from  military  (equipments,  the  tardiness  of  me- 
chanics, and  unfavourable  winds,  which  prevented 
us  from  quitting  'Mackinac,  until  this  morning.  Our 
whole  force  now  consisted  of  forty-two  persons,  em- 
barked in  four  canoes,  exclusive  of  a  detachment  of 
twenty-two  soldiers  from  the  garrison  of 'Mackinac, 
under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Pierce,  which  occupied 
a  twelve  oared  barge.  This  escort  was  deemed  ne- 
cessary to  accompany  us  to  the  Sault,  where  the  In- 


iJrtt 


/         I 


)l 


12$ 

dians  were  reported  to  entertain  a  «„i,it  of  hoslilii, 
owards  the  United  Statea,  and  so^fLn  t   'so 
far  as  to  afS™  that  they  would  attempt  to  stop  our 
passage  through  Lake  Superior.    We'  left  .he\ar' 
bour  of -Mackmac  at  ton  o'clock  in  the  morninl 
JUh  a  favourable  breeze,  which  carried  uTaTthe 
«te  of  five  miles  per  hour,  and  passing  the  De  7W 
before  sun-set,  ascended  the  straits  of  St  Mary  five 
J».les,  and  encamped  on  the  west  shore,  oppose 
Drumraond's  Island.     The  entire  distanc;^! 
fivemUes.    The  intermediate  places  of  most  no  e 
are  Outarde  Island,  at  the  distance  of  thr^e  ea„ne^' 
f«,m  M.chilimackinac,  and  the  mouth  of  Rap  frf 
ver^  which  ,s  passed  at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles 
The  banks  of  Lake  Huron  are  generally  W  and 
»wampy ,  ,„  some  places  there  ^re  sandy  pl^f 
covered  «^h  pine.    The  shore  is  strewed  ^itZ 
ments  of  hmestone,  granite,  and  hornblende,  and 
the  former,  m  the  compact  form,  appea,.  .•„  «  «,  "t 
the  few  places  where  we  had  an  opportunitv  to  ex 
amine  ,t.     A  ridge  of  highland  appeL  ZZjZ 

Sa'l-ltrVr  «*'''='""'"='  ^"^"='"»S  off  'o-rds  the" 
Sanlt  de  St.  Mar,e,  ,„  a  general  course,  northeast 
Th,s  ridge  apparently  belongs  to  tha  mounta  n 
chain  of  which  the  island  of  Michilimackinac  is,  no" 
hMj  one  of  the  disjointed  links  ,  but  we  arL  not 
enabled  to  say  that  this  remark  will  be  justified  by 
geological  correspondences.  ' 

Jt  ''"r; ''  '■'«  »«^'«"'  <=»pe  of  the  Straits  of 
fct.  Mary,  distant  forty  miles  from  Michilimackinac 

ZiTu'  r^^'-^'o  McKenzie,  in  nor^hTati-' 

from  rVlt'  ^Z\7'  """'^  ''  ""^^^"^y  "hanged 
wlf!'  u  u^-  ^""«*1»«»%  the  wind,  wlHoh 
"as  favourable  thus  far.  proved  a  serious  incon- 


127 


renience  at  the  moment  of  our  taming  the  point.  No 
current  in  the  Strait  has,  however,  as  yet,  been  expe- 
rienced.   The  mercury  has  not  risen  over  63"  in  the 
shade,  ahhough  standing  at  82*»  in  the  sun.   In  the 
course  of  the  afternoon  of  this  day,  on  landing  in  a 
small  cove,  on  the  Huron  shore,  we  saw  a  large  por- 
cupine upon  the  beach,  on  which  one  of  the  voya- 
geurs  immediately  jumped  out  of  the  canoe,  and 
killed  it  with  a  hatchet,     fhis  animal  has  general- 
ly  been  confounded,  by  the  travellers  of  the  region, 
with  the  hedge-hog,  which  is  entirely  different  in  its 
characters  and  habits,  and  is  not  supposed  to  inha- 
bit the  northern  regions  of  America,  although  it  is 
frequently  found  in  high  northern  latitudes  in  Eu- 
rope—as in  Norway,  Sweden,  and  Russia.    Buffon 
gives  two  engravings  of  the  porcupine,  as  distinct 
species,  under  the  name  of  VUrson,  and  Le  Coetf 
dou,  both  said  to  inhabit  the  Canadas.     But  there  is 
some  reason  to  suppose  that  he  has  described  the 
same  animal  in  its  summer  and  winter  dress,  as  the 
thinness  and  scarcity  of  hair  on  his  VUrton,  is  the 
principal  characteristic  difference.  The  porcupine 
is  known  to  shed  a  great  portion  of  its  hair  as  the 
warm  season  approaches.    This  animal  is  called 
Caqua,  by  the  Indians,  by  whom  it  is  highly  valued 
for  its  quills.     Thri  skin  does  not  form  an  article  of 
traflSc,  but  it  serves  them  as  a  vessel  to  hold  bears 
oil,  and  as  medicine  bags  or  short  pouches.    1  he 
quills  are  dyed,  with  indigenous  plants,  of  various 
beautiful  colours,  and  employed  to  trim  the  edges  of 
their  mockasins,  leggons,  skins,  and  dresses.     The  - 
colours,  which  are  red,  blue,  green,  black,  and  yel- 
low,  are  very  bright  and  permanent,  and  a  mockasin 
or  Indian  shoe,  which  has  been  thus  ornamented. 


1       ^*v'- 


t 


If    n 


.  -i 


I  i 


;i     !' 


128 

may  be  worn  any  length  of  time,  in  mud  and  water, 
without  perceiving  that  the  colouring  matter  of  the 
quills  18  any  way  obliterated  or  discharged.  The 
Indians  are  also  very  fond  of  the  flesh  of  this  animal, 
which  is  said  to  be  delicious,  and  to  resemble  in  fla* 
vour  a  young  pig.  It  fixes  its  habitation  under  the 
roots  of  trees,  but  being  provided  with  sharp  clavi  s, 
also  ascendfl  their  boughs  in  quest  of  fruit.  There 
are  four  claws  on  each  fore  paw,  and  fve  on  the 
hinder  ones.  It  has  small  ears,  hid  in  the  hair,  and 
a  long  bushy  tail  covered  with  coarse  hair,  white 
and  black.  It  is  a  lazy  animal,  seldom  goii)g  more 
than  a  mile  from  its  habitation  ;  has  a  slow  motion, 
and  is  easily  overtaken  and  killed.  When  attacked 
it  appears  to  rely,  with  a  foolish  confidence,  upon  its 
quills,  which  are,  in  reality,  a  very  inefiicient  de- 
fence. It  has  no  power  to  eject  them,  but  when 
touched,  they  easily  leave  the  skin,  but  will  not 
work  their  way  into  the  flesh,  as  has  been  repre- 
sented. The  Indians,  however,  employ  them  for 
boring  their  ears  and  noses.  They  seldom  make  use 
of  the  rifle  in  killing  this  animal,  but  run  up  and 
despatch  it  with  the  tomahawk.  The  one  now  kill- 
cd  would  probably  weigh  eight  pounds. 

XXn.  Day. — (June  14th.)  We  embarked  at  five 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  reached  the  Sault  de  St. 
Alarie,  in  season  to  pitch  our  tents  before  sun  set. 
The  distance  is  forty-five  miles.  The  country  con- 
tinues low  and  swampy,  until  you  come  within  three 
or  four  miles  of  the  Sault,  where  it  is  handsomely 
elevated.  There  are  two  rapids  in  the  intermediate 
distance,  which  are  ascetuled  with  loaded  canoes. 
The  lake  or  strait,  may  be  supposed  to  cease,  and 


129 

the  river  to  commence,  at  the  foot  o^t^e  first  rapid 
called  Miscoutm  or  Mbish,  as  there  is  no  percepti- 
ble  current  below  it,  where   the  strait  assu  nes  a 
great  width,  and  is  filled  with  innumerable  islands 
Keeping  close  to  the  western  shore,  these   islands 
constantly  bound  the  view  on  the  east  until    with- 
in five  miles  of  the  Sault,  where  the  different  chan- 
nefe  uoi^te.     The  ship  channel  lies  on  the  east  side 
ofthe  islands,  where  the  great  body  of  water  passes, 
and  the  rapids  are  less  formidable.      In  passing  up 
the  rapid  of  Nibish,  in   the  west  channel,   which 
IS  generally  taken  by  canoes,  we  experienced  a  very 
swift  current,  and  shallow  water,  and  injured  our 
canoes  so  much  that  we  were  compelled  on  reaching 
the  head  of  it,  to  unload,  and  repair.     It  was  one 
o  clock  when  we  passed  the  rapid,  and  this  accident 
consumed  a  couple  of  hours.      In  the  meantime  the 
sky  became  overcast,  the  wind  arose  and  blew  ahead, 
and  very  heavy  peals  of  thunder,  indicated  an  ap- 
proaching  storm.     After  waiting  sometime,  however, 
without  getting  any  rain,  we  reloaded  the  canoes 
and  embarked,  and  had  proceeded  five  or  six  mileg 
when  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  commenced.      It  did 
not  compel  us  to  land,  and  at  six  o'clock  in  the  eve- 
ning the  sky  was  clear.      We  now  passed  the  site  of 
the  village  of  St.  Joseph,  upon  the  island  ofthe  same 
name,  where  the  British   maintained  a  garrison  be- 
lore  the  late  war,  but  it  was  demolished  by  Col 
Croghan  previous  to  his  attack  upon  the  island  of 
Mich,  imackinac,  and  the  village  burnt.     Since  that 
per^o.l  the  English  have  fortified  Drummond's  island 
at  the  entrance  ofthe  straits,  which  is  now  the  depot 
ot  their  Indian  trade.      The  island  of  St.  Joseph  is 
large  and  iertile,  and  was  considerably  eultivated 

17 


^- -oi^mMltMm^ 


]3U 


!       I, 


previous  to  the  late  war.      It  is  computed  to  be  se- 
venty-five miles  in  circumference,  and  to  cover  an 
area  of  fifty-seven  thousand  six  hundred  acres,  which 
is  seven  times  the  size  of  the  island  of 'Mackinac.  The 
site  of  the  demolished  fort,  is  elevated  about  fifty 
feet,  and  is  extremely  beautiful  and  commanding. 
It  was  first  occupied  by  the  British  in  179.5,  prepa- 
ratory to  the  surrender  of  'Mackinac  which  took 
place  the  following  year.     The  stone  chimneys  of 
the  former  houses  are  still  standing  to  attest  the  bar 
barous  policy  of  war.      At  eight  o'clock  we  passed 
the  second  rapid,  but  without  injury  to  our  canoes. 
This  is  situated  two  miles  below  the  village  of  the 
Sault,  and  on  reaching  the  head  of  it,  we  have  a  hand- 
some view  of  that  village,  with  the  intervening  river 
and  shore,  and  the  dense  forest  of  elm,  sugar  maple, 
ash,  and  pine,  which  lines  this  part  of  the  river.    In 
passing  up  this  river  from  the  Detour  no  change  in 
the  geological  appearances  of  the  country  are  seen, 
until  we  approach  the  head  of  the  island  of  St.  Jo- 
seph, where  the  compact  limestone  disappears,  and 
is  succeeded  by  a  red  sand  stone.      The  latter  rock 
is  particularly  apparent,  at  the  ensuing  rapid  in  the 
bed  of  the  river,  and  continues  from  that  onward. 

XXIII.  Day.— (/«««  1.5/A.)— The  Sault  de  St.  Ma- 
rie, is  the  largest  of  three  rapids  which  impede  the 
navigation  of  the  river  St.  Mary  between  Lake  Supe- 
rior and  Lake  Huron,  and  puts  a  final  stop  to  the 
ship  navigation  of  the  northern  lakes.  It  is  situated 
fifteen  miles  below  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior,  and 
ninety  northwest  of  the  island  of 'Mackinac,  in  N. 
latitude  ib"  31'  according  to  McKenzie.  The  fall  of 
the  river,  at  this  rapid,  as  ascertained  by  Col.  Gra- 


y 


I   M 


IP 


?.. 


U 


N      f 

<    I 
35    .- 


131 


tiot,  is  tirenty-two  feet  ten  inches,  in  little  more  than 
half  a  mile,  which  is  nearly  the  same  as  the  fall  of 
the  Ohio  at  Louisville  in  the  distance  of  two  miles.* 
Unlike  that,  however,  it  can  never,  at  any  season  of 
the  year,  be  ascended  with  large  vessels.      Canoes 
and  barges  usually  go  up  with  half  a  load,  the  ba- 
lance being  carried  over  the  portage,  but  in  return- 
ing, descend  with  a  full  load.     The  bed  of  the  river 
consists  of  horizontal  strata  of  red  and  vaiiegaled 
band  stone,  which  have  been  much  worn,  broken, 
and  carried  away,  and  large  fragments  of  it,  together 
with  blocks  of  mixed  granite  and  hornblende,  out  of 
place,  are  thickly  strewed  throughout  the   rapid, 
and  by  opposing  the  rush  of  water,  throw  it  violent- 
ly in  all  directions,  and  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile 
give  it  the  appearance  of  a  bank  of  foam.    Several 
wooded   islands  upon   the    inclined  plane  of  the 
falls,  by  contrasting  the  deep  green  foliage  of  the 
hemlock,  spruce,  and  pine,  with  the  snowy  white- 
ness of  the  rapids,  produce  a  contrast  which  has 
a  pleasing  effect ;  and  with  the  shadowy  outlines 
of  the   distant  mountains  of  Lake    Superior,  the 
singular  mixture  of  forest  trees  upon  the  shores, 
and  the  fishing  canoes  of  the  savages,  which  are  con- 
stantly seen  at  the  foot  of  the  falls,  render  it  one  of  the 
roost  picturesque  views  of  northern  scenery.     I  have 
attempted  to  seize  upon  some  of  the  prominent  fea- 
tures of  this  scene  in  the  accompanying  sketch,  (Plate 
3,)  which  may  also  serve  to  convey  an  idea  of  the 
unusual  manner  in  which  the  roaple,  and  the  pine, — 
the  elm,  and  the  hemlock,  are  intermingled  in  the 
forests  upon  the  banks  of  this  beautiful  stream. 

*  See  Dr.  Drake's  Natural  and  Statistical  View  of  Cincinnati, 
and  the  Miftmi  country,  p.  15- 


•»! 


1         \ 


132 

The  village  of  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie,  is  on 
the  south  or  American  shore,  and  consists  of  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  buildings,  occupied  by  five  or  six 
French  and  English  families.     Among  the  latter  is 
that  of  J.  Johnston,  Esq.  a  gentleman  of  rank.  Mho, 
in  the  prosecution  of  the  northwest  fur  trade   set- 
tled here  shortly  after  the  close  of  the  American 
revolution,  and  married  the  daughter  of  a  Chippe- 
way  chief.    In  the  hospitality  and  politeness,  which 
durmg  our  stay  at  the  Sault,  we  experienced  in  this 
family,  we  have  been  made  to  forget  our  insulated 
situation,  and  to  observe  how  short  a  participation 
m  the  blandishments  of  refined  society,  is  huflUcient 
to  obliterate  the  effect  of  th.-  fatigues  and  privations 
of  travelling.     The  site  of  the  village  is  elevated  and 
pleasant,  and  a  regular  plan  appears  to  have  been 
observed  in  the  buildings,  though  some  of  them  are 
in  a  state  of  dilapidation,  and  altogether  it  has  the 
marks  of  an  ancient  settlement  fallen  to  decay.  Sgch 
indeed  it  is,  having  been  settled  by  the  French  short- 
ly after  the  occupation  ot'old  'Mackinac,  and  it  con- 
tinued for  a  long  time  the  site  of  a  French  fort  and 
Jesuit  mission.    Charievoix,  in  1721,  speaks  of  this 
mission  as  one  of  no  recent  date,*  and  Henry,  in  1 762, 
found  here  a  stockaded  fort,  with  a  small  garrison,' 
under  the  command  of  a  Frenqh  national  offjcer,' 
who  was  colloquially  addressed  by  the  title  of  Go- 
vernor.-f  There  were  then  four  houses,  two  of  which 
had  been  occupied  as  barracks,  and  the  fort  is  de- 
scribed  as  «  seated  on  a  beautiful  plain,  of  about 
two  miles  in  circumference,  and  covered  with  luxu- 

*  Charlevoix's  Journal,  Vol.  II.  p.  45. 
t  Henry's  Travels,  p.  58. 


133 

want  grass,  and  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Rapidsr 
Although  no  vestiges  of  the  old  fort  remain,  this  de- 
scription of  the  site  is  perfectly  accurate  at  the  pre- 
sent moment.     It  has  always  been  the  residence  of 
Indian  tribes,  who  are  drawn  to  this  spot  in  great 
numbers,  by  the  advantages  of  taking  the  white-fish, 
which  are  very  abundant  at  the  foot  of  the  rapid! 
There  are,  at  present,  about  forty  lodges  of  Chippe- 
way  Indians,  (called  Smlleurs,  by  the  French,)  con- 
taining a  population  of  about  two  hundred  soul; ,  who 
subsist  wholly  upon  the  white-fish.     «  The  method 
of  taking  them  is  this  :— Each  canoe  carries  two 
men,  one  of  whom  steers  with  a  paddle,  and  the 
other  is  provided  with  a  pole,  ten  feet  in  length,  and 
at  the  end  of  which  is  affixed  a  scoop  net.     The 
steersman  sets  the  canoe  from  the  eddy  of  one  rock 
to  that  of  another;  while  the  fisherman,  in  the  prow, 
who  sees,  through  the  pellucid  element,  the  prey  of 
which  he  is  in  pursuit,  dips  his  net,  and  sometimes 
brings  up  at  every  succeeding  dip,  as  many  as  it  can 
contain.  The  fish  are  often  crowded  together  in  the 
water  in  great  numbers,  and  a  skilful  fisherman,  in 
autumn,  will  take  five  hundred  in  two  hours.     This 
fishery  is  of  great  moment  to  the  surrounding  Indian?, 
whom  it  supplies  with  a  large  pro'^)ortion  of  their 
winter's  provision  ;  for,  having  taken  the  fish  in  the 
manner  described,  they  cure   them   by  drying  in 
the  smoke,  and  lay  them  up  in  large  quantilios  " 
{Henry.)     These  fish  are  preferred  by  most  of  our 
party  to   the  'Mackinac  trout.     Their  abundance 
may  hereafter  render  them  an  important  article  in 
the  commerce  of  the  upper  lakes. 

On  the  north,  or  Canadian  shore  of  the  river,  there 
are  also  six  or  seven  dwelling  houses,  occupied  by 


*%• 


!i 


*  134 

French  and  English  families,  exclusive  of  the  North- 
west Compan)''8  establishment,,  which  is  seated  im- 
mediatelv  at  tl  2  foot  of  the  Falls,  and  consists  of  a 
number  of  store  and  dwelling  houses,  a  saw  mill, 
and  a  boat  yard.  These  are  representeJ  on  the 
right  side  of  the  View  of  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie. 
Plate  No.  3.  This  company  have  also  constructed 
a  canal,  with  a  lock  at  its  lower  entrance,  and  u 
towing  path  for  drawing  up  barges  and  canoes.  At 
the  head  of  the  rapijd  they  liave  built  a  pier  from 
one  of  the  islands,  forming  a  harbour,  and  here  a 
schooner  is  generally  lying  to  receive  tl  goods 
destined  for  the  Grand  Portage,  and  the  regions 
northwest  of  Lake  Superior. 

XXIV.  Day. — (June  I6th.)     The  commanding  po- 
sition of  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie,  on  the  outlet  of 
Lake  Superior,  and  at  the  head  of  ship  navigation, 
had  early  pointed  it  out  to  the  French  as  an  advan- 
tageous site  for  a  military  and  a  trading  post,  and  we 
accordingly  find  that  it  yvas  occupied  as  such  at  an 
early  period  of  the  settlement  01  Canada.     By  this 
place  all  the  fur  trade  of  the  northwest  is  compelled 
to  pass,  and  it  is  the  grand  thoroughfare  of  Indian 
communication  for  the  upper  countries,  as  far  as  the 
arctic  circle.     Independent  of  these  circumstances, 
the  advantages  of  taking  the  white-fish,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Rapids,  have  always  rendered  it  a  place  of 
resort  to  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  region,  particular- 
ly during  the  summer  season,  when  the  hunting  is 
most   precarious.    No  place   could,  therefore,  be 
better  adapted  to  acquire  an  influence  over  the-  sa- 
vage tribes,  to  monopolize  their  commerce,  and  to 
guard  the  frontier  settlements  against  their  incur- 


136 


Bions.  It  is,  indccJ,  surpr'iBing  to  reflect  upon  the 
early  enterprize  and  sound  judgment  of  the  French 
in  ceizing  upon  the  points,  commanding  all  the 
natural  avenues  and  passes  of  the  lakes,  particular- 
ly when  it  is  considered  that  these  selections  must 
necessarily  have  been  the  result  of  an  intimate  ac- 
quaintance with  the  geographical  features  of  the 
country.  This  is  yearly  proved  by  the  re-occupa- 
tion of  posts  and  places  long  neglected,  but  the  im- 
portance of  which  has  Lscome  apparent  in  propor- 
tion as  we  have  set  a  just  value  upon  the  Indian 
trade,  and  the  natural  advantages  of  the  country. 
Perhaps  in  no  instance  is  this  more  strikingly  exem- 
plified than  in  ihe  Sault,  the  commanding  position  of 
which,  although  always  known  to  the  traders,  has 
but  lately  been  perceived  by  our  government.  The 
advantages  which  a  rival  nation  has  taken  of 
this  neglect,  could  not  fail  to  excite  attention  at  a 
period  when  such  laudable  ex  .rtions  are  making  in 
all  parts  of  the  Union  to  explore  the  geography,  and 
to  call  into  action  the  hidden  resources  of  the  coun- 
try ;  and  it  appears  to  have  been  among  the  prima- 
ry objects  of  the  expedition  to  prepare  the  way  for 
the  introduction  of  an  American  garrison  at  this  place. 
To  attain  this  object,  a  council  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
Chippeway  tribe  was  this  morning  summoned  at  the 
Governor's  marque,  and  the  views  of  the  govern- 
ment explained  to  them.  By  the  treaty  of  Green- 
ville, of  1796,  a  saving  clause  had  been  inserted  by 
Gen.  Wayne,  covering  any  gifts  or  grants  of  land  in 
the  Northwest  Territories,  which  the  Indians  had 
formerly  made  to  the  French  or  English  govern- 
ments,*  and    this   clause   has   been  renewed    or 

•In  Ihe  third  article  of  this,  treaty,  after  reciiing  a  number  of 
particular  cessions  of  lands,^  posts  and  carrying  pldces,  number- 


, 


136 


confirmed  by  tronties  with  the  same  :-ibe8  since 
the  conchision  of  the  late  war.*     Under  thi^  trea- 
ty,  the  United  States  claimed  the  conccHHion  for- 
merly made  at  the  SanU,  to  the  French,  hy  virtue  of 
which  it  had  been  occupied  as  a  mihtary  post.     It 
was  now  proposed  to  treat  for  settling  the  boundaries 
of  the  grant,  and  in  this  way  obtain  an  acknowledg. 
ment  and  renewal  of  it.    Those  things  were  distinct- 
ly stated   through   the   interpreter.     The   Indians, 
seated  in  their  usual  ceremonious  manner,  listened 
with  attention,  and  several  of  the  chiefs  spoke  in  re- 
ply.    They  were  evidently  opposed  to  the  proposi- 
tion, and  first  endeavoured  to  evade  it,  by  pretend- 
ing to  know  nothing  of  the  former  grant,  but  this 
point  being  pressed  home,  was  afterwards  given  up,— 
still  they  continued  to  speak  in  an  evasive  and  desul- 
tory manner,  which  amounted  to  a  negative  relusal. 
It  was  also  observable  that  there  was  no  great  unan- 
imity of  opinion  amoig  them,  and  some  animated 
discussion,  between  themselves,  took  place.     Some 
appeared  in  favour  of  settling  the  boundary,  provid- 
ed it  was  not  intended  to  be  occupied  by  a  garrison, 
saying,   that   they  were   afraid  in  that  case,  their 

ed  from  one  to  eleven,  it  also  cedes,  "  12th.  The  post  of  De- 
troit, and  all  the  land  to  the  north,  the  west,  and  the  south  of 
it,  of  which  the  Indian  title  lias  he«ni  extinguished  by  gifts  or  grants 
to  the  French  or  English  govt  rnnients,"  &r.  Treaty  with  thi 
Wyandot,  Delaware,  Shawanee,  Otlaivay,  Chipptway,  Fottawata- 
mU  Miamie,  EeUiver,  lVee>i,  Kickapoo,  I'ianka^haw.  and  Kaskas- 
kia-natiom.  GreentiUe,  3d  August,  l7'J5.—Land  Laws  oj  t/u 
United  States,  p.  56. 

*  Dy  the  treaty  of  Detroit,  or  Spring  Wells,  of  the  8th  Septem- 
ber,  1815,  and  by  the  treaty  of  Fort  Harrison,  of  the  4th  Junet 

1816.  ' 


M 


137 

young  men  might  prove  unruly,  and  kill  the  cattle 
and  hogs  that  should  stray  away  from  the  garrison. 
This  was  intended  as  an  insidious  threat,  and  I  was 
particularly  struck  with  the  reply  of  Gov.  Cass,  to 
the  chief  who  had  thrown  it  out,  in  which  he  said,^ 
that  as  to  the  establishment  of  a  garrison  at  the 
Sault,  they  might  give  themselves  no  uneasiness,  for 
that  point  was  already  settled,  and  so  sure  as  the 
sun,  which  was   then   rising,   would  set,    so  sure 
would  there  be  an  American  garrison  sent  to  that 
place,  whether  they  renewed  the  grant  or  not.    Such 
decision  has    always    great   weight    with  the  In- 
dians, and  in  the  present  instance  was  particularly 
fio,  as  a  casual,  but  indiscreet  and  unauthorised  con- 
versation which  had  been  held  by  some  officers  of 
our  party  with  one  of  the  chiefs,  before  the  council 
assembled,  had  given  them  to  understaiid  that  the 
United  States  did  not  wish  to  occupy  the  Sault  as  a 
military  post.    They  were,  however,  determined  not 
to  accede  to  our  wishes,  and  in  seeing  ourselves 
surrounded  by  a  brilliant  assembly  of  chiefs,  dressed 
in  costly  broadcloths,  feathers,  epaulets,  medals,  and 
silver    wares,  of  British  fabric,  and  armed   frovc. 
the  manufactories  of  Birmingham,  all  gratuitously 
given,  we  could  not  mistake  the  influence  by  which 
they  were  actuated  in  this  negociation.      When, 
therefore,  several  hours  had  been  spent,  during  the 
latter  part  of  which  the  Indians  employed  a^very 
animated    language,  and  strong  gesticulation,  the 
council  broke  up,  somewhat  abruptly,  without  com- 
ing  to  any  final  decision,  at  least,  without  assenting 
to  the  proposition.     The  last  chief  who  spoke,  called 
« the  Count,"(a  brigadier  in  the  British  service,)  in  the 
course  of  his  speech,  drew  his  war-lance  and  stuck  it 
furiously  in  the  ground  before  him,  and  aesumed  a 

18 


«        !■ 


.  f  ; 


::•*■■ 


13» 

look  of  savage  wiUIncss,  which  appeared  to  pronilucff 
a  corresponding  edecl  upon  the  other  Indians,  for 
there  was  an  evident  agitation  among  them,  during 
the  latter  ptirt  of  tht  council ;  and  when  he  left 
the  marq[ue  kicked  awa^  the  presents  which  had 
been  laid  before  him.  On  breaking  up,  they  pro- 
ceedetl  directly  to  their  encampment,  and  <\e  dis- 
persed to  our  tents.  A  few  moments  only  had, 
however,  elapsed,  before  it  was  d'iscovcripd  that  the 
Indians  had  hoisted  the  British  flag  in  the  midst  of 
their  encampment.  On  being  informed  of  this.  Gov. 
Cass  immediately  ordered  the  expedition  under 
arms,  and  calling  the  interpreter,  proceeded,  with 
110  other  escort,  to  the  lodge  of  the  chief,  before 
whose  door  it  had  been  erected,  took  down  the  in- 
sulting flag,  and  carried  it  back  to  our  camp.  Up- 
on this  ocrasion  he  t^ntcred  the  lodge  of  the  chief 
who  had  raiseil  it,  (the  same  who  had  before  dVawri 
his  war-lance  in  council,)  and  told  him  it  was  an  in- 
di^'nity  they  were  not  i)ermittcd  to  offer  upon  the 
American  territories, — that  we  were  their  natural 
guardians  and  friends,  and  were  always  studious  to 
render  them  strict  jus! ice,  and  to  promote  their 
peace  and  happiness  ;  but  the  flag  was  tlie  distin- 
guishing token  of  national  power,  connected  with 
our  honour  and  independence, — that  two  natirtnat 
standards  could  not  fly  in  peace  upon  the  same  ter- 
ritory,— and  that  they  were  forhid  to  raise  any  but  our 
own,  and  if  they  shotdd  again  presume  to  attempt  it, 
the  United  States  would  set  a  strong  loot  upon  their 
necks,  and  crush  them  to  the  earth.*    This  intrepid 

*  I  ilo  not  pretend  to  quote  the  exact  Innpuage  of  the  Governori 
or  to  be  positive  as  to  every  seiitiinenl  utlpr«>.d,  not  having  heard 
hiin,  but  rel;^  upon  niy  recollection  of  the  account  given  by  the 


139 


conduct  struck  the  Indians  'with  astonishment,  and 
produced  an  cflect,— which  we  were  not  at  the  mo- 
ment sensible,  was  all  that  prevented  an  open  rup- 
ture.. In  ten  minutes  from  the  Governor's  return  to 
our  camp,  the  Indians  cleared  their  lodges  of  every 
woman  and  child,  covering  the  river  with  canoes, 
and  expecting  so  decisive  a  step  to  be  followed  by 
a  general  attack  of  their  camp.  In  the  mean  time 
it  v/as  looked  upon  by  the  expedition,  aa  a  prepara- 
tory movement  to  the  savage  war  whoop,  and  we 
stood  prepared  to  encounter  the  shock.  Our  num- 
ber, at  this  time,  including  Lieut.  Pierce's  command, 
was  sixty-^ix  men,  well  armed  and  prepared  ;  about 
thirty  of  whom  were  United  States  soldiers.  The 
number  of  Indian  warriors  then  upon  the  ground  was 
between  seventy  and  eighty,  being  also  well  armed 
in  the  Indian  manner.  Our  encampment  was  regu- 
larly formed  upon  the  green,  near  the  banks  of  the 
river.  The  Indians  occupied  an  eminence  which 
was  formerly  the  site  of  tlje  French  fort,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  five  or  six  hundred  yards,  and  separated 
from  us  by  a  small  ravine.  We  were  kept  in  this 
state  of  alarm  for  some  time,  when  the  Indians  hav- 
ing ceased  to  hold  themselves  in  a  hostile  attitude, 
the  soldiers  were  dismissed  to  their  tents.  In  the 
inean  time,  an  overture  was  proposed  by  some  of 
the  oldek  chiefs,  who  had  not  been  present  at  the 
council  in  the  morning,  and  about  seven  o'clock  in 
the  evening  a  treaty  was  concluded  and  signed,  by 

interpreter,  (the  only  person  with  him,)  on  his  return  to  camp.  I 
should  not  taice  the  liberty  ofquotingltatall,  were  it  not  necessary 
to  shew  the  feeling  of  resentment  with  which  the  insult  was  re- 
peiv6d,at)d  to  explain  our  critical  situation  upon  th^t  opcttsio^. 


\i 

11 

■'     1 
i      1 

i 

\ 

111 

,j 

140 

which  they  ceae  to  the  United  States  a  tract  of 
land  four  miles  square,  commencing  at  the  Sault,  and 
extending  two  miles  up,  and  the  same  distance  down 
the  river,  with  a  depth  of  four  miles,  including  the 
portage,  and  the  site  of  the  village  and  old  Icrt,  but  re- 
serving the  right  of  fishing  at  the  falls,  and  of  en- 
campment upon  the  shore.    When  the  agreement 
,was  concluded,  the  Indian  ceremony  of  smoking  the 
pipe  of  peace,  and  shaking  hands,  as  mentioned  in 
Day  X.  was  performed,  and  their  signatures  bj  mark, 
were  afterwards  obtained.    For  this  cession  of  land 
they  were  paid  on  the  spot,  in  blankets,  knives,  sil- 
ver wares,  broadcloths,  and  other  Indian  goods. 


Iff 


I 


CHAP.  V. 


J  O  U  RJV  E  Y, 

FROM  THE  SAULT  BE  ST.  MARIE  TO  THE  OJV^OJMOOA 
RIVER  OJV  LAKE  SUPERIOR. 


--«^« 


XXV.  D AY. -^(June  nth.) 

JJ0RING  our  stay  at  the  Sault,  eleven  barges  and 
canoes  from  the  upper  lakes  descended  the  rapids 
affording  us  a  handsome  opportunity  to  witness  the 
skill  of  the  voyageurs  in  conducting  canoes  over  this 
dangerous  leap.     They  were  principally  laden  with 
furs  and  skins  for  the  North  West  and  American 
companies.   At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  we  com- 
menced the  ascent  of  the  Sault,  the  canoes  carrying 
half  loads,  while  the  soldiers  were  employed  in  car- 
rying the  remainder  of  the  baggage  across  the  port- 
age, which  is  a  little  more  than  half  a  mile  in  length. 
It  was  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  before  this  labour 
was  finished,  when  we  embarked  and  proceeded  six 
iniles  to  Point  aux  Pins,  on  the  Canadian  side  of  the 
river  ;  and  this  is  the  only  night  during  the  whole 
expedition  which  we  passed  in  the  Canadian  ter- 
ritory.     Point  aux  Pins  was  formerly  noted  as  the 
site  of  a  ship  yard,  and  had  a  few  buildings  to  ac- 
commodate the  workmen,  but  the  vestiges  of  these 
only  remain.  The  width  and  depth  of  the  river  at  this 
place,  must  have  rendered  it  a  favourable  spot  for 


F 


142 

launching  vessels.  The  current  is  very  gentle,  and 
the  shore  sandy,  and  entirely  free  from  rocks.  The 
thermometer  this  day  at  .i  P.  M.  stood  at  })2%  being 
the  highest  point  at  which  it  has  been  observed  up« 
on  the  river  St.  Mary.* 

XXVI.  Day. — (June  18/^.) — ^We  embarked  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  n^orning.  The  distance  from  Point 
aux  Pins  to  the  entrance  into  Lake  Superior,  was 
now  three  leagues,  the  river  spread  broadly  before 
us,  and  the  highlands  which  had  been  dimly  seeii 
from  the  Sault,  presented  their  imposing  outlines 
distinctly  to  the  view,  and  were  every  moment  as- 
suming a  new  and  more  interesting  character.  The 
morning  was  clear  and  pleasant,  with  a  gentle  breeze 
blowing  up  the  piver,  which,  while  it  filled  our  sails 
and  relieved  the  voyageurs  from  labour,  produced 
an  exhilerating  effect  upon  our  spirits,  by  its  refresh- 
ing coolness ;  and  we  approached  the  lake  with  a 
feeling  of  impatient  delight.  The  most  enchanting 
views  were  presented  in  every  direction,  and  we  fully 
realized  the  justice  of  the  remark  made  by  Carver 
"  that  the  entrance  into  Lake  Superior  afibrds  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  prospects  in  the  world."  Suddenly, 
liowever,  a  storm  arose,  and  compelled  us  precipi? 
tately  to  land,  arid  we  were  here  4Gtained  from  five 


*  J lii^ mometricai  ohservtitions  uri  thtjiniriteti  'rem    Aluckinac  to  Laki  Sujttrior. 


UATB. 

1820. 


June  13Ui 
"  14th. 

«  15tli. 

"  16th. 

••  inh. 

18th, 


Place  of  obser- 
vation 
'Mack,  to  Detour. 
St.  Mary  •  River 
Sault  de  St.  Marie 

A. 

M. 

p.  M. 

Mean 

leat. 

6 

55 

8 

66 

SI 

10 

71; 

12 
61 

6f 
76 

1 

6J 
73 

3 

69 
81 

4 

7 

57 
56 
66 

9 
58 

59 

61 

64 
69 

<i         « 

It         (. 

— 

•8 
56 

7 

76 

82 

8( 

68 

78 

ff 

Head  Rhr.  St.  Mary 

67 

Wind  anil 

Weather. 

Wuul,  S.  W" 

'Ram. 
CieTrl 


Clear. 


(;l  »i 


BainThunder&c 


395 
66°  ineandai.hea^ 


H3 

to  six  hours.  In  the  mean  time  the  rain  fell  in  tor» 
rents,  attended  with  very  frequent  peals  of  the  most 
severe  and  appalling  thunder.  At  one  in  the  after- 
noon, the  weather  was  perfectly  clear  and  delight-* 
ful,  when  we  again  embarked.  The  entrance  into 
Lake  Superior  was  now  in  full  view,  presenting  a 
scene  of  beauty  and  magnificence  which  is  rarely 
surpassed,  even  amid  the  rugged  scenery  of  the  north. 
The  river  St.  Mary  here  issues  from  a  lieep  bay  of 
the  lake,  and  passes  out  between  two  high  promoii* 
tories  called  Point  Iroquois,*  and  the  Grand  Cape, 
which  appear,  at  some  remote  period  of  the  crea- 
tion, to  have  been  rent  asunder,  by  one  of  those 
unaccountable  convulsions  which  have  produced 
so  much  confusion  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
This  opinion  is  rendered  probable  from  the  ge- 
neral course,  elevation,  and  other  appearances  of 
the  chain  of  mountains  which  here  runs  parallel 
with  the  lake  shore,  and  I  regret  that  we  were 
not  permitted  to  land  and  examine  the  geologi- 
cal appearances  of  the  rock  strata  on  both  sides, 
in  ord«r  to  detect  a  physical  analogy  which  is  now 
only  conjectural.  I  felt  this  regret  the  more  sensi- 
bly, as  my  expectations  bad  previously  been  excited 
by  the  account  of  an  important  mineral  discovery, 
which  Henry  states  to  have  been  formerly  made  at 
the  foot  of  the  southern  promontory,  which  is  Point 
Iroquois.f     But  these  considerations,  were  merged 

*  This  point  takes  its  name  from  the  circumstance  of  a  large 
party  of  Iroquois  Indians  having  suffered  a  signal  defeat  upon  it, 
from  a  body  of  Fox%  Ottagamies,  and  Chippeways.  So  say  Car- 
ver and  Henry. 

t  The  following  eKtract  embraces  the  notice  alluded  to.  "  Mr. 
Norburg,  a  Russian  ger.Jeraan,  acquainted  with  metals,  and  hold- 
ing a  commission  in  the  60th  Regt.and  then  in  garrigon  at  Michi- 


', 


'i 


'      'I 
I 


144 

in  objects  of  greater  moment,  and  after  our  long  de- 
tention by  the  storm,  and  the  favourable  wind  we  now 
enjojed,  the  advantages  of  a  speculative  enquiry,  or 
the  chance  of  falling  upon  a  useful  discovery,  oppos- 
ed too  feeble  an  argument  for  a  further,  and  to  be 
useful,  a  more  considerable  detention.     On  passing 
this  point,  the  lake  spread  like  a  sea  before  us.    To- 
wards  the  north,  we   could    discern    across  the 
bay  the  distant  highlands  which  border  the  Cana- 
dian shore  of  the  lake,  while  on  the  south  the  moun- 
tain chain   extending  from  the  head  of  the  river 
St.  Mary,  westward,  towered  majestically  into  the 
air,  and  presented  a  fine  contrast  to  the   bound- 
less expanse  of  waters  at  its  base.      In  coasting 
along  the  shore  for  fifteen   miles  we  passed  the 
mouth  of  Tanquametibn  river,  with  a  small  island 
of  the  same  name  lyiag  off  its  mouth,  and  proceed- 
ed three  leagues  beyond  where  we  encamped  at 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  at  the  mouth  of  Shelldrake 
river,  having  advanced  altogether  a  distance  of  thir- 
ty.four  miles.      We  generally  kept  within  a  mile  of 
the  shore,  and  often  much  nearer  so  that  it  Was  con- 
stantly in  plain  sight.      The  shore  of  the  lake  thus 
far  is  sandy,  without  large  pebbles,  and  with  no  bluff 
rocks  at  the  water's  edge,  although  the  highlands  a 
few  miles  back,  rise  to  a  great  height.     The  growth 
of  timber  is  pine,  hemlock,  (pinus  canadensis)  oak» 
aspen,  and  birch.     At  Shelldrake  river,  we  found  se- 

limackinac,  accompanied  us  on  this  expfdilion.  As  we  ramblefl 
among  the  shods  or  loose  stones  in  8<>arph  of  minerals,  Mr.  Nor- 
burg  chanced  to  find  one  of  eight  pounds  weight,  of  a  blue  colour, 
and  semi-transparent.  This  he  carried  to  England,  where  it  pro- 
duced in  the  proportion  of  sixty  pounds  of  silver  to  a  hundred 
weight  of  ore.    It  was  reposited  ia  the  British  Museum." 

Henry's  Travels,  p,  281. 


145 


Terariodges  of  Chippewaj  Fnclians,  who  ore  drawn  to 
this  spot  by  the  advantages  of  taking  fish  at  the 
'  mouth  of  the  river;  they  appeared  friendly— pre- 
sented us  8ome  dried  white  fish,  and  received  in  re- 
turn,  some  tobacco. 

XXVII.  Day.— (/«nc  19/A.)— At  the  moment  we 
were  prepared  to  embark,  a  number  of  northwest 
barges,  worked  with  oars,  were  descried  approach- 
ing from  the  west,  and  we  concluded  to  await  iheir 
arrival.     It  proved  to  be  Mr.  Morrison,  an  agent  of 
the  American  Fur  Company,  with  five  heavy  barges 
laden  with  furs  from  the  Fond  du  Lac  department, 
on  his  annual  return  to  Michilimackinac.  From  him 
we  obtained  information  respecting  the   best  r«^ute 
of  communication  from  the  head  waters  of'*Lake 
Superior  to  those  of  the  Mississippi,  with  some  va- 
luable topographical  memoranda,  and  int-onsequence 
did  not  leave  Sheldrake  river  until  eight  o'clock. 
We  had  scarcely  gone  a  league  when  we  met  eigh- 
teen or  twenty  canoes  of  Chippeway  Indians  'on 
their  way  to  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie  and  Michilimack- 
inac.   Always  expecting  some  presents  on  such  oc- 
casions, they  were   anxious  for  a  conference  and 
made  sijrns  for  us  to  stop,  and  some  of  their  canoes 
came  along  side,   but  sailing  with  a  good  wind,  we 
passed  on.     At  the  distance  of  nine  miles  we  turned 
Wiiitc  Fish  Point,  which  is  a  barren   peninsula  of 
sand,  stretching  a  considerable   distance  into  the  * 
lake,  with  a  few  aspen  trees,  and  rising  in  some  pla- 
ces in  naked  hills  of  sand,  which  the  wind  is  contin- 
ually whirling  it.to  the  air,  and  depositing  in  banks 
and  ridges,  like  drifting  snow.     Here  a  considerable 
alteration  of  course  brought  (he  wind  directly  ahead, 

19 


\ 


tl 


ij 

','■1 


't-i 


140 


to  that  we  were  compelled  to  lower  flail,  and  in  a 
short  time,  a  Htorm  approaching  from  the  wenU  drove 
UHio  Innd.  While  thus  detained  an  express  from  the 
Sault  de  St.  Marie,  overlook  us  bringing  letters  tor 
the  (jovcrnor,  &c.  It  was  a  bark  canoe,  verj^  light, 
and  strongly  manned,  and  afler  tarrying  a  couple  of 
liours.  was  despatched  hack.  In  the  mean  while,  the 
wind  had  subsided,  and  afler  progressing  ten  miles  we 
cncanped  upon  the  sand.  The  shore  of  the  lake  has 
been,  thus  far,  a  perfect  sand  bank,  without  a  pebble 
to  variegate  the  beach,  but  with  patches  of  iron-8and« 
(the  black  paper  sand  of  commerce)  abundantly  dis- 
p(»rsed  over  a  broad  and  level  beach.  At  a  short 
distance  back  from  the  lake,  a  thin  stratum  of  vegc- 
table  moidd  has  acQi^mnlated  upon  the  sand  and  sus- 
tains a  forest  of  pines,  spruce,  birch,  and  aspen,  but 
ihc  humble  growth  indicates  the  sterility  of  the  soil. 


.  XX  VIH.  Dav.— (./«nc  20//i.)— We  left  our  encamp- 
ment this  morning  at  half  past  five.  In  going  twelve 
miles,  we  rcache<l  the  mouth  of  Two-Hearted  riv- 
er, a  small  stream  not  navigable  with  canoes  ;  and 
seven  leagues  beyond  passed  the  outlet  of  a  ve- 
ry extensive  marsh,  called  the  Grande  Marrftis.  Im- 
mediately west  of  this  commences  the  Grand  Sable, 
a  lotly  riilge  of  naked  sand  extending  nine  miles 
along  the  shore,  and  presenting  a  steep  acclivity  to- 
wards the  lake.  Its  medium  height,  as  estimated  by 
Dr.  Wolcott  of  the  expedition,  is  three  hundred  feet, 
and  it  presents  a  novel  and  interesting  appearance 
frouj  the  lake.  The  views,  however,  although  ge- 
nerally commanding,  present  a  great  uniformity,  and 
leave  upon  the  mind  a  strong  impression  of  bleak- 
ness and  desolation.    Even  the  few  bushes  and  trees 


'.yyir 


147 


V^hich  are  occasionally  seen,  serve  to  increase  this 
effect  by  their  impoverislied  growth,  while  the  birds 
of  prey  which  we  observed  hovering  around  these 
bleak  sandy  heights,  could  hardly  be  considered  as 
ameliorating  the  v'lreariness  of  the  prospect.  The 
bald  eagle  perched  upon  a  shattered  tree  half  hu- 
ried  in  the  sand,  looked  down  upon  ua  in  security, 
from  a  height  of  three  hundred  feet,  while  the  noisy 
raven,  and  the  slow  sailing  falcon,  were  perpetually 
upon  the  wing.  These  birds  are  generally  drawn 
together  upon  elevated  bluffs  and  barren  heights, 
that  thoy  may  more  easily  discover  and  be  directed 
to  their  prey,  either  in  the  adjoining  waterH  or  upon 
the  land,  and  at  the  same  time  they  are  thus  protect- 
ed from  the  unseen  approach  of  their  ericmies.  But 
it  may  be  doubted  wiiether  they  do  noi.  always  add 
to  the  forbidding  appearances  of  puch  scenes  as  are 
naturally  sterile,  and  destitute  of  vegetation.  There 
is.  however,  no  scene  wholly  without  attractions, 
and  by  an  admirable  arrangement  in  the  works  of 
nature,  what  is  denied  to  bleak  places  in  vegetable 
beauty,  is  often  supplied  in  the  rarity  of  animated  na- 
ture, or  in  the  order  of  the  unorganized  strata  of  min- 
eral matter;  and  it  is  in  the  latter  respect,  that  the 
Grand  Sable  affords  an  interesting  object  of  con- 
sideration. It  is  composed  of  three  layers  of  sand, 
lying  horizontally,  and  distinctly  marked  as  sepa- 
rate deposits.  The  first  stratum  rising  from  the  wa- 
ter, is  a  light  yellow  silicious  sand,  unmixed,  and 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  depth  ;  then 
succeeds  a  deposit  of  the  same  substance,  very  much 
mixed  with  pebbles  of  granite,  hornblende,  lime- 
stone, and  quartz  ;  and  this  forms  the  distinguishing 
mark  of  the  middle  stratum,  which  may  be  eighty 


'i 


^i 


:«     j 


^f 


:l 


148 

loot  in  (Mckiieyi.     Tlio  upper  stratum  iu  loose  yel- 
low sand,  ill  vvvry  rt- sptct  Hliuiliir  to  the  lirHt  or  low- 
or  doposii,  exeept  Hint  it  is  ('(Uitinuiill;    act««cl  upon 
bjftho  wiihIh,  nndcoiituiiw  iinhrdded  trunkM  ol'tiees, 
Hoino  of  whicli  romniii  in  tlio  position  in  which  they 
grnv,  hut  liuvo  heeii  hurini  Uy  drillting  niiiuI  neav]y  tu 
their  tops,  uiid  thus  killed.  The  depth  of  tlii«  top-atru- 
tuni  may  he  estimated  nt  ni\ly  or  acventy  feet.  I  h»vo 
innde  nli  these  esliniatew, however,  on  the  asHiiined  al- 
titude of  the  entire  bniik,ashefore8tated,nnd  although 
this  may  he  iiteorrect,  yet  the  relative  thickness  of 
the  three  atrnta,  uiny  thuH,  with  tolcrahio  accuracy, 
bo  jmlged.      It  is  impossihle  to  view  these  stupcn- 
u'ous  sand  hills,  without    being  nt  the  same  time 
strongly  impressed  with  the  idea  that  they  owe  their 
nrrangement  and  pres«Mit  order  of  superposition  to 
thv  agency  of  water,  and  that  this  fluid  has  at  some 
fonnor  period  covered  their  highest  tops.     Dr.  Wol- 
cott,  who  with  cousiilerahle  labour  ascended  these 
sandy  eiainenees,  tliscovered  a  small  lake  of  pure 
water,  at  no  great  distance  back,  and  on  his  return 
presented  me  several  mineral  spoeiniena,  picked  up 
diu'ing  the  excursion,  which  bear  the  appearances  of 
volcanic  origin,  together  v.ith  a  couple  of  specimens 
of  corralUne   [jctiifactions.      The  specimens  which 
suggest  the  idea  of  volcanic  production,  appear  to  be 
granitic  aggregates  semi-vitrified,  at  least,  on  ihe  sur- 
lace,  w  hich  possesses  the  smoothness  and  gloss  of 
common    glass.       Some    of   these  specimens   are 
black,  without  gloss,  harsh  to  the  touch,  and    vesi- 
cula.*,  resembling  certain  lavas,  but  all  possess  a  con- 
siderable specific  gravity,  and  will  sink  in  water.* 

*  I  h«v«  not  been  able  since  my  return  to  Jubmil  these  speci- 
ojcus  to  the  cxnuiiiyition  of  any  accurate  niiiieralcgut,  or  to  uii 


149 

These  hints  mny  serre  to  direct  the  attention  of  fu. 
ture  trovcUers  to  this  subject,  which  I  have  only  to 
regret  other  objects  ofthe  expedition  did  not  alio 
uo  leisure  to  inventigate. 

On  passing  along  the  const  of  the  Grand   SahU, 
we  observed,  through  the  water  which  is  very  trans' 
parent  large  tabular  rocks,  in  situ,  at  the  bottom  of 
the  lake  beneath  our  canoes,  and  on  encamping  a 
.hort  d.stance^west  ofthe  termination  of  these  sand 
banks,  at  LPoinfe  La  Grand  Sa6i^,  we  (bund,  anpa- 
renly  a  similar  rock,  jutting  out  upon  theshorJof 
he  lake,  and  r.H.ng  to  an  elevation  of  eight  or  ten 
<oe  above  the  water.     On  examination,  This  prov" 
ed  to  be  a  variegated  sand  stone  in  horizontal  strata. 
tolerably  compact,  and   consisting  of  coarse  grains 
of  silicons  sand,  united  apparently  by  an  argilla- 
ceous cement      Its  colour  is   white  or  red,  arrang. 
cd  in  spots  and  stripes.      No  troces  of  shdls  or  cor- 
rallmcs,  could  here  be  detected  in  the  rock.      It  is 
covered  by  an  alluvial  deposit  of  a  fuw  feet  in  depth 
bearing  cedars,  pines,  hemlock,  and  birch,  with 
some  beech,  oak,  and  maple  interspersed.     We  en- 
camped on  a  l,each  of  sand,  near  the  entrance  of  a 
small  creek,  which,  from  a  violent  storm  that  raged 
during  the  lught,  was  called  Hurricane  creek     This 
storm  had  threatened  us  before  reaching  the  land 
and  ,n  a  short  time  after,  the  wind   raged    with 
the  utmost  violence,  and  threw  the  lake  into  such 
disorder,  that  the  water  drove  into  the  Governor's 

dcrtake  my,elf  any  oxperhnent  upon  their  composition,  and  am  not 
U,erefore  prepared  to  decide  upon  their  n.ineJalogicai  .har^ter 
rhe.e ,.  some  reason  to  conclude,  that  the  f.Hossy  specimens  owe 

surface,  u  could  not  have  been  effected  by  common  attrition. 


:,>  i 


, ,,(  ■ 

WM 

^v 

|p^ 

.A'; 

HH^H 

'1 

HI 

"f  t 

^H 

■%,...4 

^H 

IfiO 


marque,  pitcliod  fifty  yards  from  the  margin,  and 
Intihed  it  down.  At  the  game  time  the  thunder  was 
very  frequent  and  severe,  and  when  the  fury  ot  the 
gale  abated,  a  heavy  rain  drenched  every  part  of  — 
camp. 


our 


XXIX.  Day.— (/wwfl  21«/.)~The  rain  still  conti- 
nued nt  enrly  day  light,  and  the  sea-like  swells  of 
the  lake  broke  furiously  upon  the  shore  long  after 
the  wind  had  entirely  ceased.  At  sun  rise  the  at- 
mosphere began  to  assume  its  usual  serenity,  the 
clouds  broke  away  rapidly,  and  belbrc  eight  o'clock 
we  had  the  most  delightful  weather.  It  was  eleven, 
however,  before  the  lake  regained  suflicient  tran- 
quillity to  permit  us  to  embark.  A  perfect  calm  now 
reigned  in  the  atmosphere,  and  we  continued  the 
voyage  with  renovated  spirits.  On  going  three 
leagues,  wo  reached  the  commenocmcnt  of  the  Pic- 
tured ilocks,  {fja  FortaiiltU  of  the  French  roi/affeurs,) 
a  series  of  lofty  blulFs,  which  continue  for  twelve 
miles  along  the  shore,  and  present  some  of  the  most 
Bublime  and  commanding  views  in  nature.  VV  e  had 
been  told,  by  our  Canadian  guide,  of  the  variety  in 
the  colour  arid  form  of  these  rocks,  but  were  wholly 
unprepared  to  encounter  the  surprising  grnnpes  of 
overhanging  precipices,  towering  walls,  caverns, 
water  falls,  and  prostrate  ruins,  which  are  here  min- 
gled in  the  most  wonderful  disorder,  and  burst  upon 
the  view  in  ever-varying  and  pleasing  succession. 
In  order  to  convey  any  just  idea  of  their  magnifi- 
cence, it  is  necessary  to  premise,  that  this  part  of 
the  shore  consists  of  a  sand  stone  rock  of  a 
light  grey  colour  internally,  and  deposited  stra- 
tum super-stratum  to  the  height  of  three  hundred 


feet,  rislnff  in  a  perpendicular  wall  from  the  water, 
and  extending  from  four  to  five  leagues  in  length. 
This  rock  is  made  up  of  coarse  grains  of  sand, 
united  by  a  calcareous  cement,  and  occasionally 
imbedding  pebbirs  of  quartz  and  other  water- 
worn  fragments  of  rocks,  but  adhering  with  a 
feeble  force,  and,  where  exposed  to  the  weather, 
easily  crushed  between  the  fingers.  Externally,  it 
presents  a  great  variety  of  colour,  as  black,  red, 
yellow,  brown,  and  white,  particularly  along  the 
most  permanent  parts  of  the  shore,  but  where  mass- 
es have  newly  Pallon,  its  colour  is  a  light  grey.*  In 
no  place  does  the  recent  fracture  disclose  any  traces 
of  red,  and  the  variety  of  outward  colouring  is  ow- 
ing partly  to  mineral  waters  which  appear  to 
have  oozed  out  of  the  crevices  of  the  rock,  but  main- 
ly, to  the  washing  down  of  the  banks  of  coloured 
clay  from  the  superincumbent  soil.  Thus,  although 
a  great  variety  of  surface  is  presented,  there  is,  in 
reality,  none  in  its  geological  charactert  This  stu- 
pendous wall  of  rock,  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the 

•  Adhering  too  rigidly  to  the  definitions  of  those  geolojjists  who 
consider  graywackeas  consisting"  essentially  of  <;raius  of  quartz, 
cemented  together  by  indurated  clay,"  I  was  inclined,  at  the  mo- 
ment, to  apply  the  term  to  this  stratum  of  rock.  But  a  subsequent 
examination  of  my  specimens  proves  that  it  is  composed  essential- 
ly of  grains  of  quartz  cemented  by  a  calcareous  substance.  Ft 
preserves  also  the  granular  structure,  friability,  and  uniformity  of 
composition  of  common  sand  stone,  although  the  tvhite  colour  and 
linuy  cnnsistenct  of  the  cementinir  mutter,  gives  it,  on  the  first 
glance,  an  appearance  foreign  to  this  class  of  rocks. 

t  In  (his  respect,  (the  variety  of  external  colours,)  it  resembles 
the  CaUco  Rock,  which  I  have  formerly  noticed  upon  the  banks  of 
Wtiite  River,  in  Arka.  saw  Territory.— ^f^  <Ae  New-York  Monthly 
Journui  and  BelUi  LtUres  Repmtory. 


wares,  which  are  driven  up  bj  every  north  wind 
across  the  whole  width  of  Lake  Superior,  has  been 
partially  prostrated  at  several  points,  and  worn  out 
into  numerous  bays,  and  irregular  indentations.  All 
these  tront  upon  the  lake,  in  a  line  of  aspiring  pro- 
montories, which,  at  a  distance,  present  the  terrible 
array  of  dilapidated  battlements  and  desolate  tow^ 
ers. 


"  Their  rocky  summits  split  and  rent, 

'«  Form'd  turret,  dome,  or  battlement, 

"  Or  seemed  fantastically  set 

*'  With  cupola  or  minaret, 

"  Wild  crests  as  pagod  ever  decked, 

"  Or  mosque  of  eastern  architect." 

In  some  places  the  waves  have  lashed  down  the 
lower  strata,  while  the  upper  ones  hang  in  a  threat- 
ening posture  over  the  lake ;  in  others,  extensive 
caverns  have  been  worn  into  the  rock,  and  in  this 
way  rocky  bluffs,  nearly  severed  from  the  main,  or 
left  standing  upon  rude  and  maspy  pillars,  between 
which  barges  and  canoes  might  with  safety  sail.  All 
that  we  have  read  of  the  natural  physiognomy  of 
the  Hebrides— of  Stafla,— the   Doreholm,  and  the 
romantic  Isles  of  the  Sicilian  coast,  is  forcibly  re- 
called on  viewing  this  scene,  and  it  may  be  doubt- 
ed vvhetlier,  in  the  whole  range  of  American  scen- 
ery,  there  is  to  be  found  such  an  interesting  as- 
semblage of  grand,  picturesque,  and  pleasing  ob- 
jects.     Among  many  striking  features,  two  attracted 
particular  admiration,— the  Cascade  La  Portaille, 
and  the  Doric  Arch.    The  cascade  is  situated  about 
four  miles  beyond  the  commencement  of  the  range 
of  bluflTs,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  most  commandino- 


vind 
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|>art  oHt.    It  consists  of  a  handsome  strpflrti,  which 
is  precipitated  about  seventy  feet  from  the  blutf  into 
the  lake  at  one  leap.  Its  form  i?  that  of  a  rain  bow,  ris- 
ing from  the  lake,  to  the  top  of  the  precipice.     We 
passed  near  the  point  of  its  fall  upon  the  surface  of 
the  lake,  and  could  have  gone,  unvretted,  between  it 
and  the  locks,  as  it  is  thrown  a  considerable  distance 
into  the  lake.  The  Doric  Rock,  of  which  a  profile  is 
given  on  the  title  page,  is  an  isolated  mass  of  sand 
stone,  consisting  of  four  natural  pillars,  supporting  a 
stratum  or  entablature  of  the  same  material,  and 
presenting  the  appearance  of  a  work  of  art     On 
the  top  of  this  entablature  rest^  a  stratum  of  al- 
luvial soil,  covered  with  a  handsome  growth  of  pine 
and  spruce  trees,  some  of  which  appear  to  be  fifty  or 
sixty  feet  in  height.     To  add  to  the  factitious  ap- 
pearance of  the  scene,  that  part  of  the  entablature 
included  between  the   pillars  is  excavated  in  the 
form  of  a  common  arch,  giving  it  very  much  the 
Appearance  of  a  vaulted  passage  into  the  court  yard 
of  some  massy  pile  of  antiquated  buildings.    A  lit- 
tle to  the  west  of  this  rock,  the  Miner's  Rtver  enters 
the  lake  by  a  winding  channel,  overshadowed  with 
trees,  and  intersected  by  a  succession  of  small  ra- 
pids. 

The  annexed  view,  (Plate  IV.)  represents  a  range 
of  bluffs,  immediately  west  of  the  Doric  Rock,  as 
viewed  from  the  lake,  and  embraces  some  of  the 
Wonderful  excavations  which  diversify  this  part  of 
the  coast.     Grand  Isle  appears  in  perspecjjve. 

In  passing  these  rocks,  one  of  our  voyageurs  pick- 
ed up,  upon  the  shore,  and  brought  to  me,  a  green 
translucent  p«'bble,  of  a  spheroidfil  figure,  and  two 
ounces  in  weight.    A  subsequent  examination  of  this 

20 


SSSSSSS**:  .' 


UA 


mineral  induces  ine  to  consider  it  as  Prase,  which  is 
arranged  by  Cleaveland,  as  a  sub-species  of  quartz. 
Its  colour  is  a  light  uniform  leek  green,  and  fully 
translucent.  It  has  a  quartzy  hardness,  and  some- 
what of  a  waxy  lustre,  but  exhibits  no  appearances 
of  a  crystalline  structure,— its  spheroidal  shape  is 
owing  to  attrition.  This  mineral  is  stated  to  owe 
its  colour  to  actynolite,  or  epidote,  and  to  be  some- 
times employed  in  jewelry.  May  not  the  oxyd  of 
copper  be  the  colpuring  ingredient  in  some  cases  ? 

In  landing  in  one  of  the  coves  to  examine  the  geo- 
logical appearances,  and  procure  specimens  of  the 
rock,  I  found,  among  an  infinite  variety  of  pebbles, 
which  are  washed  up  on  the  beach,  several  fragments 
of  carnelian,  and  a  species  of  hornstone  jasper,  in  al- 
ternate bands  of  redi,  black,  &c.  These  appearances 
created  a  desire,  which  it  was  impossible,  however, 
to  satisfy,  of  making  a  more  minute  examination  of 
the  mineralogy  of  the  coast.    It  is  considered  a  dan- 
gerous pass  when  there  is  any  wind  on  the  lake,  as 
there  are  very  few  places  where  a  landing  can  be 
efTectpd.     The  day,  however,  notwithstanding  the 
boisterous  weather  of  the  morning,  proved  calm  and 
pleasant,  and  we  proceeded  two  leagues  beyond  the 
termination  of  this  picturesque  shore,  and  encamp- 
ed on  Grand  Island,  in  a  large,  deep,  and  beautiful 
bay,  completely  land-locked.     Here  we  found  a  vil- 
lage of  Chippeway  Indians,  who,  as  soon  as  we  land- 
ed, came  from  their  lodges  to  bid  us  welcome.  They 
manif(&siied  the  most  friendly  disposition  towards  the 
party,  and  towards  the  United  States ;  and  when 
they  wpre    told   of  our  objects  in    visiting  their 
Gpuntry,  appeared   highly  pieascd.     The  prompti- 
tude with  which  they  oflered  the  pipe  of  pejice,  le<l 


,0^: 


155 

no  doubt  of  their  sincerity,  and  their  subsequent- 
conduct  evinced  that  thiey  felt  themselves  flatter- 
ed by  our  visit.    In  the  evening  t!iey  assembled 
in  our  camp,  to  shew   their  skill  in  dancing,  up- 
on which  they  all  pride  themselves,  and  spent  some- 
time in  this  amusement,  which  is  also  done  as  a 
mark  of  respect,     in  these  fiestive  feats,  they  were 
accompanied  by  their  own  music,  consisting  of  a  kind 
of  tambarine,  and  a  hollow  gourd,  filled  with  peb- 
bles, while  one  of  the  number  beat  time  upon  a 
stick,  and  all  joined  in  the  Indian  chant.     There  is 
something  animating  in  the  Indian  chorus,  and  at 
the  same  time,  it  has  an  air  of  melancholy,  but  cer- 
tainly nothing  can  be  more  monotonous,  or  farther 
removed  from  our  ideas  of  music.    These  ceremo- 
nies lasted  sometime,  and  were  rather  an  annoyance 
to  the  party,  to  whom  they  presented  nothing  novel^ 
and  as  is  usual,  were  only  a  prelude  to  the  customr 
ary  presents  of  whiskey  and  tobacco.     We  found 
these  Indians  very  poor,  both  as  to  clothing  and 
provisions,   but     were   struck    with    their    manly 
figure  and  beautiful  proportions.     During  the  eve- 
ning several  speeches  were  addressed  to  the  Go- 
vernor, in  the  course  of  which  we  were  told  that 
they   had    lately  returned  from  a  war  excursion 
against  the  Sioux,  in  which  they  had  lost  a  number 
of  warriors,  but  that  they  had  fallen  like  brave  men, 
and  were  worthy  of  being  called  Chippeways.    It 
appears  that  the  Indians  of  Grand  Island  had  been 
reproached  by  the  northern  bands  of  the  tribe  for 
not  taking  a  more  active  part  in  the  war  which  has 
been  so  long  waged  between  the  Chippeways  and 
the  Sioux.  To  wipe  off"  this  stain,  they  determined  to 
inttke  an  irruption  into  she  §ioux  country,  withput 


'^'^'k^ 


166 


giving  notice  to  any  other  part  of  the  tribe,  that  they 
might  claim  the  exclusive  merit  of  their  warlike 
deeds.    Accordingly,  a  party  of  thirteen  warriors 
proceeded,  by  the  most  unfrequented  paths,  into  the 
midst  of  the  Sioux  territories,  without  meeting  with 
any  opposition,  or  exciting  any  premature  alarm. 
Here,  however,  at  a  time  when  they  did  not  expect 
it,  they  suddenly  encountered  a  large  war  party  of 
their  enemies,  amounting  to  ten  times  their  number. 
As  a  negotiation  of  peace  had  been  commenced  be- 
tween the  two  tribes,  the  Sioux  were  disposed  to  re- 
ceive  them  as  friends,  and  were  very  much  surpri&ed 
to  hear  them  declare  that  they  had  left  their  homes 
on  a  war  excursion,— that  they  had  come  a  great  way 
to  meet  them,— that  they  wanted  to  test  their  cou- 
rage—and that  they  rejoiced  there  was  now  an  op- 
portunity presented.     The  Sioux  replied  that  they 
thought  the  Chippeways  were  tired  of  a  long  war, 
m  which  so  much  blood  had  been  spilt,— that  they 
were  too  few  in  number  to  hope  for  any  success, 
and  had  better  retire  in  peace  to  their  own  ter- 
ritories, as  their  destruction  was  otherwise  inevi- 
table.     The  Chippeways  were,  however,  determin- 
ed in  their  hostility,  and  had  prepared  themselves  to 
die,  and  to  sell  their  lives  at  the  dearest  rate,  and 
the  next  morning  attacked  the  Sioux  in  their  camp. 
In  a  short  time  they  were  driven  back  to  the  place 
where  they  had  determined  to  make  a  final  stand, 
and  which  they  had  previously  fortified  by  digging 
two  large    holes  or  intrenchments  in  the  ground, 
capable  of  affording  them  a  partial  shelter,     into 
these  intrenchments   they  retired,  and  maintained 
the  unequal  contest  until  they  had  expended  their 
a««rounition,    and  killed  more  than  double  their 


,' 


157 


,' 


number,  when  the  Sioux  surrounded  their  intrench- 
ments,  and  dispatched  the  survivors  with  their 
tomahawks.  Of  the  number  that  retired  into  these 
holes,not  one  escaped,  but  they  kept  up  a  dedtructive 
fire  upon  their  enemies,  while  their  ammunition  last- 
ed, for  they  were  protected  during  the  time  they  re- 
tired to  reload  their  guns.  To  transmit  the  fame  of 
this  exploit  to  their  nation,  they  had  appointed  the 
youngest  warrior  of  their  number  to  watch  on  an 
adjoining  hill,  and  when  their  fate  was  terminated,  to 
carry  the  news  to  their  friends.  By  this  it  seems 
that  they  had  previously  determined  to  die  in  their 
intrenchments.  This  messenger  had  not  been  long . 
returned,  when  we  reached  Grand  Island,  where  he 
8un£^  the  exploits  of  his  departed  friends.  He  was 
a  tall  and  beaut'ful  youth,  with  a  manly  countenance^ 
expreGoive  eyes,  and  formed  with  the  most  perfect 
symmetry, — and  among  all  the  tribes  of  Indians 
whom  I  have  visited,  1  never  felt,  for  any  individual, 
such  a  mingled  f  eling  of  interest  and  admiration. 


XXX.  Day. — (June  22c/.) — We  embarked  at  six 
o^clpck  in  the  morning,  the  weather  clear  and  calm. 
On  coming  put  of  the  bay  of  Grand  Island,  we  pass- 
ed a  small  wooded  island  on  the  right,  and  on  turn- 
ing a  point  of  land,  traversed  a  bay  of  four  leagues 
across,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  situated  the  Isle  aus 
Trains,  and  opposite  to  it,  in  the  extremity  of  the  bay, 
the  River  aux  Trains  discharges  into  the  lake. 
On  turning  the  next  point,  we  put  into  a  litlle  bay 
and  entered  the  mouth  of  Laughing  Fish  river,  which 
is  twenty  yards  wide,  deep, — with  i eddish  water, 
and  a  sandy  shore.  Near  it  are  several  large 
B\yamps,  which  maintain  a  connexion  with  Lake 


158 

Superior,  through  this  little  river,  and  a  singular 
cbb,ng  and  flawing  of  its  t.de,  is  produced  by  the 
swells  of  the  lake.     This  flux  and  reflu.,  was  observ- 
ed three  times  during  our  stay,  a  space  of  thirtv  or 
forty  minutes.      On  leaving  this  we  turned  a  promi- 
nent  point  of  land,  and  steered  N.  70"  W.  across  a 
large  bay  in  which  are  L.uccessively  discharged  Cho- 
co  ate,  Dead,*  and  Presque  Isle  rivers,  all  of  which  lay 
to  the  left  of  our  track,  and  encamped  on  a  point  of 
land,  which,  from  the  first  appearance  of  that  rock,  I 
shall  denominate  Granite  Point.  The  distance  across 
this  bay,  ,n  a  direct  line,  is  eighteen  miles,  but  by 
following  the  indentations  of  the  shore,  which  is  the 
usual  route,  it  is  fifty-one.     The  shore  of  the  lake 
continues  rocky  from  Grand  Isle,  to  near  Laughing 
Fish  river,  which  is  bordered  by  sandy  plains.     The 
rocks  are  red  sand  stone  j  on  Isle  aux  Trains  they 
dip  towards  the  northeast.      The  forest  trees  are 
chiefly  pine,  hemlock,  spruce,  and  birch.    On  reach- 
mg  Granite  Point  a  new  scene  presents  itself.     Here 
*  a  bluff-of  granite  rising  out  of  the  lake  to  a  height  of 
two  hundred  feet,  is  connected  to  the  shore  by  a 
neck  of  land  consisting  of  red  and  grey  sand  stone,  in 
honzo.  tal  layers.      This  granite  is  made  up  of  red 
feldspar,  quartz,  and  a  little  mica,  and  very  much  mix- 
ed with  hornllende.     It  lies  in  a  confused  bed,  pre-  " 
senting  perpendicular  fissures,  and  traversed  by  re- 
gular  veins  of  greenstone  trap.    These  veinsof  green- 
stone vary  from  two  to  thirty  feet  in  width,  and  are 
disposed  to  break  in  irregular  columnar  fragments, 
resembling,  m  some  degree,   the  columns  of  true 
basalt.    The  sand  stone  laps  upon  the  granite,  and 
hts  into  Its  irregular  indentations  in  a  manner  that^ 

,  */*  *^^.'"°";!»o'"thi»river,Iron  Pyritesofa  brass yellotv colour, 
and  metalic  brilliancy,  is  found. 


iii»  I'wi   ilimi   r     «     II  iir  I  til  II 


41*? 


lAO 


•t-^ 


shews  it  to  have  assumed  that  position  euhsequentlj 
to  the  upheaving  of  the  granite.      Its  horizontalrty 
is  perfectly  preserved  even  to  the  immediate  point 
of  contact,  which  is  laid    bare   to   the  view.     A 
mutual   decompobUion  for  a  couple  of  inches,  into 
each  rock  has  taken  place     Dipping  under  the  sand 
stone,  the  granite  again  rises  on  the  contiguous  coast 
in  high,  rough,  and  broken  hills.      AH  this  is  hand* 
somelj  disclosed  by  a  natural  transverse  section  of 
the  country,  upon  the  rocky  shore  of  the  lake,  and 
the  peninsula,  connecting  it  with  Granite  Point. 
This  will  give  to  tlie  annexed  view,  (Plate  V.)  a  va- 
lue which    geological    sections,  and  suppositional 
charts,  it  must  be  conceded,  too  often  lack.      The 
ent're  width  of  the  point  may  be  estimated  at  half  a 
mile,  and  that  of  the  neck  of  land  connecting  it  with 
the  shore  at  two  hundred  yards.      A  sandy  alluvion 
rests  upon  the  whole,  covered  with  yellow  pine, 
(pinus  resinosa.)     As  to  the  geological  age  of  the  sand 
stone,  I  possess   no  means  of  forming  a  decisive 
opinion.     It  consists  of  grains  of  quartz  or  sand,  unit- 
ed by  a  calcareous   cement,  and   coloured  by  the 
red  oxyd  of  iron.      Its  colour  is  a  brick  red,  and  it 
possesses  the  compactness  and   grain  of  freestone. 
In  some  places  it  imbeds  pebbles  of  quartz  of  the 
•ize  of  a  pigeon^s  egg,  together  with  rounded  masses, 
of  hornblende  and  other  rocks,  and  it  then  resem- 
bles the  pudding  stone.     It  has  no  imbedded  re- 
lics of  the  animal  or  vegetable  kingdom,  so  far  as 
observed,  but   this  is  not  always  conclusive  of  the- 
age  of  a  rock  viewed  at  a  given  point,  for  it  is  known 
that  these  relics  are  never  uniformly  distributed 
throughout  the  substance  of  rocks,  even  of  the  new- 


-n 


est  formations.     lis  position  would  indicate  a  neat 
alliance  to  the  «  old  red  sand  stone."      Wenier  has 
consklered  this  rock  in  all  situations  as  secondary. 
BHkewell  places  it  in  the  class  of  transition  rocks,  ia 
which  he  IS  followed  by  McClure  and  by  Eaton     I 
am  not  prepared  to  decide  upon  a  point  upon  which 
•iny  opportunitie<.  of  observation  have  as  yet  been  lim- 
ited,and  there  appears  to  be  something  so  objoctional 
in  the  dogmatism  with  which  these  things  are  usually 
stated,  that  I  shall  content  myself,  in  the  present  in- 
stance, with  the  bare  recital  of  the  facts  above  enu. 
inerated. 


XXXI.  DAY..^(Jum  23«^.>The  morning  was  cloudy 
and  hazy,  but  we  did  not  suffer  these  appearances 
to  deter  us  from  quitting  our  encampment  at  an  ear- 
ly hour.     In  a  few  moments  after  getting  under  way, 
a  fair  breeze  arose,  and  we   proceeded  to  the  next 
prominent  point,  a  distance  of  five  leagues,  in  three 
hours.     Here  we  again  saw  granite  rock  overlayed 
by  sand  stone.   The  wind  now  flagging,  we  went  un- 
der oars  to  the  mouth  of  Huron  river,  a  distance  of 
eleven  leagues,  where  we  encamped  at  four  in  the 
afternoon,  in  consequence  of  rain.     In  the  course  of 
the  day,  we  have  successively  passed  the  Garlic,  St. 
John's,  Salmon  Trout,  and  Pine  rivers,  all  streams' 
of  secondary  magnitude,  and  originating  in  highland* 
at  no  great  distance  from  (he  lake.      These  high- 
lands which  have  been  visible  with  the  naked  eye,ap- 
pear  from  inspection  with  a  glass,  to  consist  of  rug- 
ged peaks  of  granite.  Off  the  Huron  river,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  five  or  six  miles  in  the  lake,  lie  the  pictur- 
esque cluster  of  Huron  Islands.     They  appear  to  be 
high,  rocky,  and  barren,  with  some  trees.  Among  the 


161 


Objects  surrounding  our    encampmenl,  an  Indian 
grave,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Huron  river,  excited 
our  curiosity.     It  was  paled  in  with  pine  saplings, 
sharpened  at  the  top,  and   regularly   inclosing  it  in 
the  form  of  a  parrallelogram.      A  covering  of  bark 
bent  over  small  poles  in  the  form  of  a  roof,  secured 
the  grave  from  the  effects  of  the  weather,  and  a' 
blazed  stake  at  one  end,  denoted  the  head.      Be- 
tween this  stake  and  the  grave,  a  smoothly  cut  piece 
of  cedar  wood  with  several  Indian  devices,  served 
the  purposes  of  a  monumental  record,   upon  which 
the  figure  of  a  bear  denoted  either  the  name  of  the 
deceased  chief,  or  the  tribe  to  which  he  belonged. 
Seven  red  marks  were  interpreted  to  signify  that  he 
had  been  seven  times  in  battle.  Other  marks  were  not 
understood.    It  is  probable,  however,  that  they  were 
commemorative  of  some  of  the  most  striking  events 
of  his  life,  which  we  are  led  to  conclude,  from  these 
extraordinary  marks  of  respect,  had  been  devoted 
to  the  service  of  his  tribe,  or  distinguished  for  some 
extraordinary  achievements  in  hunting.     This  grave 
is  situated  on  a  sandy  plain,  which  extends  for  many 
miles  to  the  west  of  the  Huron,  and  is  covered  prin- 
cipally with  a  growth  of  yellow  pine.      Among  the 
shrubs  and  plants,  the  pyrola  rotundifolia,  or  com- 
mon winter  green,  is  very  abundant,  and  we  here  first 
noticed  a  creeping   plant  called  kinni-kinick  by  the 
Indians,  which  is  used  as  a  substitute  for  tobacco. 
This  plant  appears  to  have  escaped  the  notice  of 
the  indefatigable  Pursh,  nor  do  I  find  any  description 
f>f  it  in  Micheaux,  or  Eaton.      It  is  a  creeping  ever- 
green with  an  ovate  leaf,  of  a  deep  green  colour,  and 
velvet-like  appearance,  and  is  common   to  sandj 
soils.    1  suspect  it  to  be  a  new  variety  of  cbJmaphili 

21 


102 

TIjc  liuliui.b  projKUT  it  by  drying  the  Iciif  over  i» 
motlorate  lire,  ami  bruising  it  bclwoen  (ho  fjii}i;(M'8  so 
that  it,  ill  Komo  dogroo,  iTHiuiblrs  cut  tobrtcco.  In 
tbis  Htalc  it  18  8na)ki!il,  niul  is  very  iniKl  niul  plons- 
ftjit.  Tbcy,  liowcvor,  pirfer  mixing  it  witb  u  portion 
of  tbc  couiinon  tobacco,  (nicotiamt  UilMcum)  or  per- 
haps* it  \a  tlono  with  a  view  to  economy.  As  the  kin- 
nikinick  only  (lourishos  on  Handy  ^n-ound;^,  it  is  not 
always  to  be  procured,  in  which  ca»o  tboy  employ 
(Xthcr  MiLibstances,  the  most  common  of  which  is  the 
bark  scraped  oirtho  small  red  twigs  of  the  acer  spi- 
catnm  or  maple  bush.  Certain  species  of  willow^) 
arc  al»o  resorted  t<>. 

XXXH.  D\\.—{J<inr  21//*.)— From  Huron  river  it 
is  eighteen  miles  to  Kewcena  Point,  which  extendi 
forty  five  miles  into  the  lake,  and  is  by  far  the  most 
striking  feature  in  ti.e  topography  of  the  southern 
shore  of  Lake  Superior.  It  has  sometimes  been  con- 
foujided  i>y  geographers  and  travellers  with  PointChc- 
gointej^on'  which  is  a  hundred  and  thirty  miles  further 
west,and  the  latter  name  loosely  applied  to  either 
Point.  Amon<;  those  wlio  liave  fallen  into  this  er- 
ror is  Carver,  uho  describes  the  coirper  mine,  or 
Ontonagon  river,  as  falling  into  the  lake  a  hundred 
miles  wesil  of  Point  Chegoimef^on,  (Carvers  Travels 
p.  G7)  whereas  it  iti  found  to  be  n  little  more  than 
half  that  distance,  west  of  Kewcena.  Henry,  and 
McKenzie,  have  both  drawn  the  proper  distinction, 
hi  coasting  around  this  point  it  is  estimated  to  be 
ninety  miles,  but  canoes  shorten  the  journey  by  as- 
cending the  Portage  river,  which  nearly  insulates 
the  point  from  the  main  shore,  and  make  a  portage 
of  less  thati  a  mile  into  the  lake  west  of  the  Point.  Tfj 


163 

the  eastof  Ihis  point  there  ia  a  large  bay  twelve  miles 
wide  by  twenty  in  lenglh,  culled  Kewecna  bay,  which 
it  is  leoessary  to  cross  in  order  to  reach  the  Port- 
uge  river.     The  route  from  Huron  river,  is  first  six 
miles  west  to  Point  Abbayc,  which  is  the  eastern  cape 
of  Keweena  bay,  then  we  coast  three  leagues  up  the 
eastern  shore,  and  make  a  traverse  of  twelve  miles 
to  the  month  of  Portage  river.     This  is  often  a  dan- 
gerous passage  wljen  the  weather  is  not  perfectly 
settled,  and  was  found  so  in  the  present  instance. 
On  turning  point  Abbaye  we  found  a  fresh  breeze 
blowing  directly  ahead,  but  not  apprehending  any 
increase,  and  anxious  to  make  as  little  delay  as  pos- 
sible, we  progressed  up  the  bay  the  usuil  distance, 
and    commenced  the   traverse    without    hesitation. 
When,  however,  only  a  league  from  land,  the  win(J 
had  increased  to  a  strong  breeze,which  raised  a  con- 
siderable swell,  and  before  we  were  halfway  across, 
the  bay  presented  a  sheet  of  foam,  and  our  canoes  were 
tossed  about  with  scarcely  the  power  of  controlling 
ihera.     A  perfect  gale  prevailed,  and  every  moment 
seemed  to  add  to  its  violence.  1  he  swells  broke  fre- 
quently across  our  canoes,  so  that  one  hand  was  con- 
Btantly  necessary  to  bail  it  out,  and  we  expected  them 
to  be  broke  in  two  at  every  succeeding  swell.      In 
this  dilemma  it  appeared  almost  equally  hazardous 
to  turn  back,  or  to  progress,  we  were  about  an  equal 
distance  from   either  shore,  with  the  wnid  blowing 
directly  ahead  ;  and  the  conductors  of  the  different 
canoes  were  left  to  use  their  own  discretion.    Three, 
out  of  five  canoes  turned  back,  and   reached  the 
shore  in  safety,  with  some  injury  to  the  canoes.  The 
fjther  two,  consisting  of  the  Governor's  and  that  m-' 


%  'n 


i  < 


164 

der  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Mackny,  to  which  I 
was  attached,  after  an  exertion  which  exhausted  the 
strength  of  every  person  on  board,  reached  the 
mouth  of  Portage  river,  and  encamped  u[)on  the 
beach  before  sun  down.    Distance  30  miles. 

XXXIII.  DAx.-^CJunc  2.O//1.)— The  canoes  which 
were  driven  back  by  the  winds  yesterday,  joined  us 
thi*  morning  at  seven  o'clock,  when  we  commenced 
the  ascent  of  the  Portage  river.  This  is  a  stream  of 
50  yards  wide,  with  a  good  depth  of  water.  At  the 
distance  of  six  miles  it  expands  into  a  lake  which  is 
twelve  miles  lon^,  and  from  two  to  four  in  width, 
narrowing  to  about  half  a  mile  towards  its  head. 
Here  a  small  stream  enters  which  is  just  wide  enough 
to  admit  a  catioc  to  be  worked  with  paddles.  It  is 
very  serpentine  in  its  course,  and  overhung  with  al- 
ders and  shrubbery,  with  fallen  trees  in  the  channel, 
80  that  the  ascent  is  attended  with  some  difficulty. 
This  stream  is  ascended  six  miles  to  its  source  in  a 
bog  meadow,  during  the  latter  part  of  which  the  ca- 
noes are  dragged  along  through  mud  and  water  in  a 
channel  which  is  only  wide  enough  lor  that  purpose, 
and  appears  to  have  been  parti)-  formed  by  the  voy- 
ageurs  of  former  days.  From  this  to  the  lake,  there 
is  a  portage  of  two  thousand  yards,  which  is  passed 
at  two  Pauses,*  the  first  of  which  is  swampy,  and  the 

•  A  Pause  (pronounced  p6zo)  is  a  rpsting  place  for  the  voya- 
genrs,  and  is  romputed  to  be  hulf  a  mile,  but  this  depends  scrne- 
wjiat  upon  local  cjrruinstnnoes.  If  the  country  is  very  swnmpj  or 
hilly,  the  pause  is  much  shorter,  and  over  n  fine  level  country  it  is 
often  three  fourths  of  a  mile.  These  stopping:  places  are,  however, 
regularly  marked  upon  all  the  travelled  portages  so  that  they  are 
always  spoken  of  in  the  colloquial  language  of  the  region,  as  car- 
rying places  of  one,  two,  or  more  pauses.    Miles  are  wholly  out  of 


165 


other  a  dry  sandy  soil  covered  with  tall  pines.  We 
reached  the  lake  '^t  an  early  hour  in  the  afternoon, 
and  formed  our  encampment  upon  the  gravelly 
shore.  The  voyageurs  and  soldiers  were  employed 
in  carrying  baggage  until  dark,  but  did  not  complete 
jthe  labour. 


XXXI V.  Day. — (June  26th.) — The  forenoon  of  this 
day  was  occupied  in  carrying  the  remainder  of  the 
baggage  and  canoes  across  the  portage.  In  the  af- 
ternoon a  head  wind  prevented  our  embarkation. 
While  we  were  sitting  upon  a  bank  of  clean  pebbles 
upon  the  shore,  at  dinner,  and  admiring  the  variety 
of  beautiful  water-worn  pebbles,  1  picked  up  a  frag- 
ment of  beautiful  carnelian,  and  this  cave  the  hint 
for  making  a  search,  in  which  a  great  number  were 
afterwards  found  by  different  individuals  of  the  par- 
ty. I  also  discovered,  while  loitering  along  the  shore, 
a  mass  of  native  copper,  of  nearly  two  pounds  weight, 
attached  to  a  water  worn  mass  of  serpentine  rock, 
and  a  number  of  smaller  pieces.  Indeed  grains  of 
copper  disseminated  through  pebbles  of  serpentine 
rock,  arc  very  common  at  this  place,  but  this  metal 
has  not  been  observed  in  association  with  any  other 
species  of  rock.  Radiated  zeolite,  crystallized 
quartz,  chalcedony,  prase,  jasper,  opal,  agate,  and 
sardonyx,  are  also  among  the  minerals  picked  up 
along  this  part  of  the  shore.  Of  the  specimens  of 
carnelian,  I  procured  several  imbedded  in  rolled 
pebbles  of  amygdaloid,  and  in  one  instance,  observ- 
ed this  mineral  imbedded  in  a  large  detached  mass 

the  question.  Distannes  are  altogether  reckoned  by  leagues  or 
pauses.  The  pauses  are  marked  upon  the  carrying  paths  by 
mtle  clrculftr  greenS)  wh«re  the  voyageurs  set  down  their  packs. 


166 


'''hi 


of  hornblende  rock.     All  the  rock  along  this  shore, 
however,  which  was  noticed,  in  situ,  is  either  a  red, 
grey,  or  variegated  sand  stone,  which  appears  to  be 
referable  to  one  formation,   colour  being  the  only 
character  in  which  any  difference  could  be  perceiv- 
ed.    The  very  interesting  character  of  the  mineral- 
ogy at  this  place  arrested  the  attention  of  several  of 
our  party,  who  had  before   felt  no  interest  in  this 
study,  and  from  the  spirit  of  imitation,  severa!  of  the 
soldiers  and  voya^^^urs  also  turned  collectors  of  spe- 
cimens.    Bnt  a  greater  novelty  ensued,  the  hulians 
attached  to  the  expedition,  on  being  shewn  the  sub- 
stances we  were  anxious  to  procure,  also  undertook 
the  search,  and  with  such  good  success,  that  I  am  in- 
debted to  them  for  some  of  the  finest  specimens  I 
have  Irom  that  locality.  This  is  not  the  first  attention 
they  had  manifested  to  the  subject,  for  on  a  former 
occasion  they  assisted  me  in  chizzeling  organic  relics 
from  the  rock,  and  seemed  to  take  a  delight  in  being 
serviceable  in  that  way,  although  unable  to  compre- 
hend the  object  of  these  collections.     It  was  impos- 
sible to  find  corresponding  words  in  their  language 
to  signify  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from  geological 
studies,  although  they  were  anxiojis  to  be  informed, 
and  made  repeated  enquiries.      There  is  a  general 
impression  among  the  Indians  that  we  possess  the 
skill  of  turning  all  minerals  either  into  money  or  me- 
dicine.     My  attention  to  this  subject  had  struck 
them  upon  the  third  or  fourth  day  after  our  depart- 
ure from  Detroit,  when   they  bestowed  upon  me  a 
name,  at  least  characteristic  of  my  siti>a^^->n  in  the 
expedition.* 

*  Paw-gwa-he-caw-e-ga.  The  destroyer  of  rocks,  or  ha  who 
employs  liiincself  among  tlie  rocks.  Jt  may  be  considered  as  sy- 
nonymous wilh  the  word  "  Mineralogist." 


167 

XXXV.  Day.— (/«««  27/^.)— We  left  the  head  of 
Keweena  Portage  at  half  past  four  in  the  morning, 
and  proceeding  with  a  favourable  wind,  entered  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Ontonagon,  at  half  past  three  in 
the  afternoon.  The  distance  is  fifty-one  miles,  which 
gives  an  average  rate  of  travelling  of  five  miles  per 
hour.  In  the  intermediate  space,  we  fluccessivelj 
passed  the  Little  Salmon  Trout  and  Graverod's  ri- 
vers,— La  Riviere  au  Mesiere,  and  Firesteel  river, 
all  streams  of  secondary  size,  and  not  capable  of 
being  ascended  any  considerable  distance  with  ca- 
noes. The  siiore  is  generally  sandy  alluvion,  upon 
which  pines,  spruce,  and  hemlock  predominate.  At 
a  distance  back  a  ridge  of  highlands  is  visible.  The 
entire  distance  from  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie,  is  one 
hundred  and  eight  leagues,  which  we  have  been  ten 
days  occupied  in  travelling,  including  a  detention  of 
three.  We  have,  therefore,  made  an  average  pro- 
gress of  forty. six  miles  per  day,  a  speed,  which  our 
voyageurs  tell  us,  is  seldom  equalled  in  passing  over 
the  ,8ame  route.  During  this  time,  we  have  had 
rain,  with  violent  \*ind,  three  days,— clear,  with 
moderate  wind,  five  days,— and  variable,  (calm, 
misty,  cloudy,  windy,)  three  days.  The  highest  de- 
gree of  heat  during  the  same  period,  has  been  83% 
and  the  mean  temperature,  Irom  sun  rise  to  sun  set, 
66°.*  The  transitions  of  temperature  have  oflen 
been  sudden,  and  the  heat,  during  th^  middle  of  the 
day,  (from  eleven  to  four)generall}'  severe,  and  some- 
times almost  insuoportable  Dense  fogs  have  pre- 
vailed during  the  morning,  and  in  one  or  two  in- 
stances, mists  have  been  observed  during  the  day. 


I 


Sea  U.e  Meteorological  Table  on  the  succeeding  page. 


ItiU 


Gusts  of  wind,  arising  with  a  momentary  warning, 
have  often  driven  us  hastily  ashore ;  and  the  whole 


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foute  may  be  characterized  as  stormy,  and  yet  we 
are  told  this  isj  one  of  the  most  favourable  months 
for  performinj^  the  journey.  In  the  autumn  it  is  sel- 
dom attempted.  The  winds,  which  generally  pre- 
vail from  the  northwest,  expose  the  southern  shore 
to  the  fury  of  continual  storms.  The  Canadian  shore 
is  more  pacific,  being  sheltered  by  its  elevation,  and 
the  voyage  on  that  side  is,  at  all  seasons,  less  liable 
to  accidents  and  delays.  The  following  table  of- 
distanees  may  be  found  useful  to  future  travellers^ 
It  is  compiled  from  the  estimates  of  the  voyageurB 
and  traders,  as  generally  agreed  upon,  but  I  have 
reduced  their  mode  of  reckoning  by  French  leagues, 
into  miles,  and  introduced  some  corrections  that  ap- 
peared necessary. 


and  thi 

Tot.  Milei. 

85 

91 
100 
115 
124 
133 
157 

178 
187 
109 
205 
217 
226 
229 
235 


Of  the  Stationary  Distances  between  Michilimackinac 
River  Ontonagon^ 

Miles. 


From  Mlchilimackinac  to  Detour, 

Thence  to  the  Sault  de  St.  Marie,  . 

Point  aux  Pinsi 

Point  Iroquois,  at  the  entrance  into  Lake  Superior, 

Tonquamenon  River, 

Siielldrake  Riverf  ■ 

White  Fish  Point, 

Two-Hearted  River, 

Grande  Marr^is,  and  commencement  of  Grande 

Sables,  > 

La  Point  la  Grande  Sables, 
Pictured  Rocks,  (La  Portaille,) 
Doric  Rock,  and  Miner's  River, 
Grande  Island,  « 

River  aux  Trains, 

Isle  aux  Trains,  . 

Laughing-Fish  River, 

22 


40 

45 
6 
9 

15 
9 
9 

24 

21 
9 

12 
6 

12 
9 
3 
6 


A 


iro 


I 


Chofolate  Rivti", 

Dead  River,  (In  Presque  Isle  B«y^) 

Granit*  Point, 

Garlic  River,  , 

St.  John's  River,  . 

Salmon-Trout,  or  Barnt  River, 

Pine  River,  . 

Huron  River,  (Huron  Islands  lie  off  this  River,) 

Point  Abbaye,  (east  Capeof  Keweena  Bay,)  - 

Month  of  Portage  River, 

Head  of  Portage  River,  (through  Keweena  Lake,) 

Lake  Superior,  at  the  head  of  the  Portage,      - 

Little  Salmon-Trout  River, 

Graverod's  River,  (small,  with  flat  rocks  at  its  mouth,)  6 

Riviere  au  Misifere, 

Tirestepl  Rit^r, 

Ontonagon,  or,  Copper  Mine  Rivei-^ 


MtlM. 

tot,  Mflel. 

15 

250 

6 

256 

6 

262 

9 

271 

15 

286 

12 

298 

6 

304 

9 

813 

6 

319 

21 

340 

24 

364 

1 

365 

9 

374 

06 

380 

12 

392 

18 

410 

6 

416 

I 


OHhV.  VI. 


r/SIT  TO  THE  COPPER  MIXES. 


►«•• 


XXXV.  D^Y.— (/ttne  27/A.) 

JIHE  river  Ontonagon,  (or  Tenaugon,  as  it  is  fre- 
quently pronounced,)  enters  the  lake  in  north  latitude 
46°  52'  2',  as  determined  by  Capt.  Douglass,  and  is 
one  ofthe  largest  of  thirty  .ivers  which  are  tributary  to 
Lake  Superior  on  its  southern  shore.  It  is  estimated 
to  be  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles  long,  and  has  a 
width  of  two  hundred  yards,  with  eight  feet  depth 
at  its  mouth.  Indians  say  they  generally  walk  to  its 
head  in  three  or  four  days,  but  on  account  of  nume- 
rous rapids,  it  is  only  ascended  in  canoes  about 
thirty-six  miles,  and  a  portage  then  made  to  its 
source,  which  is  in  a  small  lake  called  Vieux  Desert. 
This  lake  has  also  an  outlet  into  the  Menomonie 
river  of  Green  Bay,  and  another  into  the  Chippeway 
rver  ofthe  Mississippi,  by  means  of  which  the  coun- 
try is  traversed  in  canoes  by  the  traders  and  Indians. 
The  lands  along  thiiS  river  are  generally  rough  and 
mountainous,  \mtil  within  three  or  four  leagues  of 
its  mouth.  Its  waters  have  a  reddish  colour,  like 
those  of  the  Arkaiisas,  and  are  moderately  turbid  ; 
among  its  forest  trees  pine  and  hemlock  predomi- 
nate, but  its  most  remarkable  character  is  the  cop- 
|>er,  whicljiis  found  along  its  banks.    This  has  been 


172 


known  from  the  earliest  timt  .,  and  is  noticed  by  all 
the  travellers  of  the  region.      La  Hontan,  Charle- 
voix, Henry,  Carver,  and  McKenzie,  have  success- 
ively published  accounts  of  it,  which  have  served  at 
various  neriods,  to  arrest  the  public  attention,  and 
to  confer  a  notoriety  upon  t'e  country,  which  it  had 
otherwise  certainly  lacked.     But  amid  a  great  ma- 
ny surmises  respecting  the  extent  of  "  o  mines,  very 
Jittle  has  been  with  certainty  known.     To  ascertain 
how  far  these  accounts  are  founded  in  truth,  and  to 
examine  the  mineralogy  of  the  adjacent  region,  was 
among  the  primary  objects  of  the  present  expedition, 
and  on  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  river,  the  Gov.     .. 
or  determined  to  loose  no  time  in  exploring  it.     It 
was  past  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  we 
entered  the  mouth  of  the  river.     The  expedition  was 
immediately  encamped,  and  Indian  guides  procured, 
at  the  ncighbouringvillage,and  at  six  o'clock,  we  pro! 
ceeded  in  two  light  canoes  up  the  river,  leaving  the 
greater  part  of  our  force  encamped  at  the  mouth. 
Our  party  in  this  excursion,  consisted  ofGov.  Cass,  Dr. 
Wolcott,Capt.  Douglass, Lieutenant  iViackay, Mr. Do- 
ty, and  myself,  with  a  sufficient  number  of  engaged  to 
conduct  our  canoes,   and  four  Chippeway  guides. 
A  broad   river,  with   a  gentle  current, — winding 
course,  and  heavy  wooded  banks,  with  the  dark  green 
foliage  overshadowing  the  water,  rendered  the  first 
part  of  the  tour  delightful.    At  the  distance  of  four 
miles  we  reached  a  Sturgeon  fishery,  which  the  In- 
dians have  established  in  the  river  by  means  of  a 
wier  extending  from  bank  to  bank.      This  wier  is 
constructed  of  saplings  and  s.-!iall  trees,  sharpened 
and  drove  into  the  clayey  bottom  of  the  river,  with 
an  inclination   down  stream,   and  supported    by 


173 


crotched  stakeB  bracing  against  the  current.  Against 
the  sides  of  these  inclined  stakes,  long  poles  are 
placed  horizontally,  and  secured  by  hickory  withes, 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  afford  the  Indians  a  passage 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  at  the  same  time  al- 
low them  to  sit  and  fish  upon  any  part  of  it.  The 
sturgeon  are  caught  with  an  iron  hook,  fixed  at  the 
end  of  a  long  slender  pole,  which  the  Indian,  setting 
on  the  wier  holds  to  the  bottom  of  the  river,  and 
when  he  feels  the  fish  pressing  against  the  slender 
pole,  jerks  it  up  with  a  sudden  and  very  dexterous 
motion,  and  seldom  fails  to  bring  up  the  sturgeon. 
On  one  side  of  the  wier,  an  opening  is  left  for  the  fish 
to  pass  up,  which  they  do  at  this  season  in  vast  num- 
bers, but  in  their  descent  they  are  hurried  by  the 
current  against  the  hooks  of  the  savages,  who  are 
thickly  planted  on  every  part  of  the  wier.  The  num- 
ber of  sturgeon  caught  at  this  place  is  astonishing, 
and  the  Indians  rely  almost  entirely  upon  this  fishery 
for  a  subsistence.  What  is  not  wanted  for  immediate 
consumption,  is  cut  into  thin  slices  and  dried  or 
smoked.  Canoes  pass  up  through  the  opening  left 
for  the  sturgeon.  Five  or  six  Indians  were  employ- 
ed in  fishing  at  the  time  we  passed  through,  and  we 
stopped  some  time  to  observe  the  sport,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  several  brought  up,  one  of 
which  was  presented  to  us.  The  sturgeon  are  ge- 
nerally from  two  feet  to  four  feet  in  length,  and  these 
ma;  be  considered  as  the  minimum  and  maximum 
size,  as  they  are  seldom  seen  smaller  than  the  for- 
mer, or  larger  than  the  latter.  They  appear  to  me 
to  be  of  the  same  species  as  the  small  sharp -nosed 
sturgeon  of  the  Hudson ;  the  acipenser  oxyrinchus  of 
Mitchil!.     This  fishery  is  of  great  importance  to  th« 


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174 

Indians  of  the  region,  and  appears  to  have  been 
known  to  them  from  the  earliest  times,  and  has  been 
constantly  resorted  to  without  any  apparent  diminu- 
tion in  the  quantity  taken.  Henry  says  in  1 765, »'  that 
a  months  subsistence  for  a  regiment,  could  have  been 
taken  in  a  fe»v  hours  time."  There  is  a  rapid  at 
the  rtpot  fixed  upon  for  the  fishery,  so  that  the  water 
is  not  over  four  feet  deep.  We  encamped  two  miles 
above  on  a  sand  bar.  The  musquitoes  here  gave 
us  great  annoyance. 


!    .. 


XXXVI.  Day.— (June  28/A.)— We  embarked  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  riv^r  is  bordered 
with  a  rich  alluvion  covered  with  a  heavy  forest  of 
maple,  elm,  and  walnut,  and  with  a  luxuriant  growth 
of  vines  ancJ  underbrush.  At  the  distance  often  or 
twelve  miles  from  the  lake,  a  chain  of  highlands 
shuts  in  upon  each  side  of  the  river,  cutting  oiT  the 
bottom  lands  of  the  lake,  and  increasing  in  altitude 
as  we  ascend.  Here  also  the  rivef  becomes  nar- 
rower and  h^s  many  rapids.  At  seven  o'clock  our 
guides  stopped  the  canoes,  and  told  us  that  the  riv- 
er above  that  place,  had  a  great  many  bad  rapids 
which  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  ascend  with  all 
the  men  in  the  canoes,  and  that  by  landing  there,  we 
might  proceed  by  a  near  route  through  the  woods, 
and  reach  the  mines  much  sooner  than  the  canoes 
could  by  water.  Accordingly  eight  of  the  party,  in- 
cluding myself,  determined  to  proceed  that  way, 
while  the  Governor  with  the  canoes,  now  lightened  of 
half  their  burden,  went  up  the  river  to  meet  us  at  the 
mines.  We  were  accompanied  by  two  Indians  as 
guides,  who  led  us  over  lofty  ridges,  gulfs,  and  ra- 
vines, covered  with  brush  or  shattered  rocks,  for  a 


J 


J 


his 

distance  of  fifteen  miles,  when  we  feU  into  an  Indian 
path  leading  to  the  copper.  Here  our  guides  sat 
down  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  Governor  and  party, 
who  were  to  pass  that  way.  VVe  had  thus  far«^l- 
lowed  them  with  incredible  fatigue,  owing  to  the 
swiftness  of  their  travelling,  the  roughness  of  the 
way,  and  the  extreme  heat  of  the  weather. 

"  Straining  each  sinew  to  ascend, 

"  Foot,  hand,  and  knee,  their  aid  must  lend  j 

"  Now  to  the  oak's  warp'd  roots  we  cling, 

"  Now  trust  our  weight  to  the  curl'li  vine's  string, 

"  Then  like  the  wild  goat  must  we  dare 

♦*  An  unsupported  leap  in  air." — Scott. 

It  was  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  we  arrived 
at  this  path,  and  the  thermometer  stood  at  90°  under 
the  dark  shade  of  the  forest.  We  had  not  been  seat- 
ed a  great  while,  when  the  other  party  approached, 
and  we  continued  our  way  to  the  mines ;  but  the  Gov- 
ernor  was  so  much  exhausted  by  clambering  up  the 
hills,  which  skirt  the  river,  that  he  was  compelled 
to  return  to  the  canoes.  We  found  the  lemainder  of 
the  way,  (about  six  miles,)  no  less  sterile,  mountain- 
ous, OP  fatiguing ;  and  reached  the  great  mass  of 
copper,  the  chief  object  of  our  excursion,  at  an  early 
hour  in  the  afternoon.  It  lies  on  the  edge  of  the  riv- 
er directly  opposite  an  island,  and  at  the  foot  a  lofty 
clay  bluff,  the  face  of  which  appears,  at  a  former  pe- 
riod, to  have  slipped  into  the  river,  carrying  with 
it  detached  blocks  and  rounded  masses  of  granite, 
hornblende,  and  other  rock,  and  with  them,  the  mnss 
of  copper  in  question.  The  first  feeling  was  that  of 
dinappointment.  It  has  been  greatly  overrated  by 
former  travellers,  both  as  to  size  and  mineralogical 
character,  but  is  nevertheless,  a  remarkable  mass 


PR 


176 

of  copper,  and  well  worthy  a  visit  from  the  traveller 
who  is  passing  through  Ihe  region.    «  The  copper, 
which  is  in  a  pure  and  malleable  state,  lies  in  con- 
nexion with  a  body  of  serpentine  rock,  the  face  of 
Which  it  almost  completely  overlays,  and  is  also  dis- 
seminated in  masses,  and  grains,  throughout  the  sub- 
stance of  the  rock.     The  surface  of  the  metal,  unlike 
^   most  oxydable  metals,  which  have  suffered  a  long 
exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  presents  a  metallic  bril- 
liancy ;  which  is  attributable  either  to  an  alloy  of 
the  precious  metals,  or  to  the  action  of  the  river, 
which  during  its  semi-annual  floods,  carries  dov/n 
large  quantities  of  sand  and  other  alluvial  matter, 
that  may  serve  to  abrade  its  surface,  and  keep  it 
bright.     The  shape  of  the  rock  is  very  irregular- 
its  greatest  length  is  three  feet  eight  inches— its 
greatest  breadth  three  feet  four  inches,  and  it  may 
altogether  contain  eleven  cubic  feet.    In  size,  it  con- 
sid  erably  exceeds  the  great  mass  of  native  iron  found 
some  years  ago  upon  the  banks  of  Red  River,  in 
Louisiana,  and  now  deposited  among  the  collections 
of  the  New- York  Historical  Society,*  but  on  account 
of  the  admixture  of  rocky  matter,  is  inferior  in  weight, 
Henry,  who  visited  it  in  1766,  estimates  its  weight  at 
live  tons  ;  but  after  examining  it  with  scrupulous  at- 
tention, I  do  not  think  the  weight  of  metallic  copper 
in  the  rock  exceeds  hventy-two  hundred  pounds.    The 
quantity  may,  however,  have  been  much  diminished 
since  its  first  discovery,  and  the  marks  of  chisels  and 
axes  upon  it,  with  the  broken  tools  lying  around, 
prove  that  portions  have  been  cut  off,  and  carried 
away.    The  author  just  quoted  observes,  '  that  such 
was  its  pure  and  malleable  state  that  with  an  axe  he 

•  See  Bruce's  Mineralogical  Journal, 


'■f-*"-*.**,  «*.«»^,, 


traveller 
?  copper, 
s  in  con- 
e  face  of 
also  dis- 
the  sub- 
il,  unlike 
d  a  long 
dlic  bril- 
I  alloy  of 
he  river, 
es  dov/n 
1  matter, 
keep  it 
^gular — 
hes — its 
i  it  may 
J,  it  coii- 
3n  found 
liver,  in 
lections 
account 
weight, 
eight  at 
lous  at- 
7  copper 
.    The 
inished 
els  and 
iround, 
carried 
at  such 
axe  he 


17^ 


©        B 


N 

b 
© 


Was  able  to  cut  off  a  portion  tureighing  a  hundred 
^MJUnds.**  Notwithstanding  this  reduction  it  may* 
still  be  considered  one  of  the  largest  and  most  re- 
markable bodies  of  native  copper  upon  the  globe, 
And  is,  so  far  as  my  reading  extends,  only  exceeded 
by  a  specimen  found  in  a  valley  in  Brazil,  weighing 
2666  Portuguese  pounds.*  Viewed  merely  as  a  sub- 
ject for  scientific  speculation,  it  presents  the  most 
interesting  considerations  and  must  be  regarded  by 
the  geologist  as  affording  illustrative  proofs  of  an 
important  character,  its  connexion  with  a  rock 
which  is  foreign  to  the  immediate  section  of  country 
where  it  lies,  indicates  a  removal  from  its  original 
bed,  while  the  intimate  connexion  of  the  metal  and 
matrix,  and  the  complete  envelopement  of  individual 
masses  of  the  copper  by  the  rock,  point  to  a  common 
and  contemporaneous  origin,  whether  that  be  refer- 
able to  the  agency  of  caloric  or  water.  This  conclu- 
sion admits  of  an  obvious  and  important  application 
to  the  extensive  strata  of  serpentine,  and  other  mag- 
nesian  rocks,  foUnd  in  various  parts  of  the  globe  !'  "f 
The  accompanying  view,  (Plate  VI,)  is  taken 
from  a  point  below  the  mass  of  copper,  looking  up 
the  river  On  each  side  appear  a  lofty  range  of  earthy 
blufifs,  which  have  caved  into  the  river,  throwing 
down  their  trees  and  imbedded  rocks  into  heaps  of 
ruins  along  the  pargin  of  the  stream,  and  exposing 
their  bare  surfaces  to  view.  These  bluffs  may  be 
considered  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  perpendicu* 
lar  height,  and  are  capped  by  a  forest  of  pine, 
iiemlock,   cedar,  and   oak.     On  the   right  hand, 

•  Philips'  Mineral<^y. 

t  Extract  from  my  Report  to  the  Secretary  at  War,  on  the  cop- 
per mines  of  Lake  Superior.  See  the  Aroericao  Journal  of  Science 
atd  the  Arts,  EdUcd  by  Pfofcisaor  Silliman.  J1.R.R 

23 


■* 


178 


'<! 


fi 


partly   immersed    in    water,   reposes    the   c6ppei' 
fock  ;  oil  the  left  the  little  island  of  cedars  divider 
the  river  into  two  channels,  and  the  email  depth  and 
rapidity  of  the  water  is  shewn  by  the  innumerable 
rocks  which  project  above  its  surface,  from  shore  to 
shore.  The  masses  of  fallen  earth, — the  blasted  treee^ 
which  either  He  prostrate  at  the  foot  of  the  bluffly 
or  hang  in  a  threatoning  posture  above, — the  eleva- 
tion of  the  banks,— the  rapidity  and  noise  nf  the 
stream,  present  such  a  mixed  character  of  wild- 
ness,  ruin,  and  sterility,  as  to  render  it  one  of  tlie 
most  rugged  views  in  nature. 

'  '  . 

"  It  seem'd  the  mountain,  rent  and  riven-, 

"  A  channel  for  the  stream  had  given  ; 

**  So  tiigh  the  cliff  of  sandstone  gray, 

"  Hung  beetling  o'er  the  torrents  way, 

"  Where  he  who  winds  'twixt  rock  and  wave, 

'*  May  hear  the  headlong  torrent  rave  j 

«*  JVlay  view  her  chafe  her  waves  to  spray, 

«  O'er  every  rock  that  bars  her  way, 

"  Till  foam  globes  o'er  her  eddie*  glide,  i- 

"  Thick  as  the  schemes  of  human  pride 

<•  That  down  life's  current  dri»e  amain, 

«  As  frail,  as  frothy,  and  as  vain/'        Scott. 

One  cannot  help  fancying  that  he  has  gon6'  to  the 
ends  of  th«»  earth,  and  beyond  the  boundaries  ap- 
pointed for  the  residence  of  man.  Every  object  tell» 
us  that  it  is  a  region  alike  unfavourable  to  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  animal  and  vegetable  kmgdom ;  and 
we  shudder  in  casting  our  eyes  over  the  frightful 
i)||eck  of  trees,  and  the  confused  groups  of  falling-ib 
banks  and  shattered  stones.  Yet  we  have  only  to 
ascend  these  bluffs  to  behold  hills  more  rugged  and 
elevated;  and  dark  hemlock  forests,  and  yawning 
gulfs  more  dreary,  and  more  forbidding  to  the  eye. 
Such  is  the  frightful  region  thrdugh  which,  for  a 


^ 


1T9 


d^siance  of  twenty  miles,  we  followed  our  Indian 
guides  to  reach  this  unfrequented  spot,  in  which 
there  is  nothing  to  c  impensate  the  toil  of  the  jour- 
ney but  its  geological  character,  and  mineral  pro- 
ductions. Indeed  these  are  traits  which  are  gene- 
rally found  to  increase  in  interest,  in  proportion  to 
the  increased  sterility  of  the  soil,  and  the  impover* 
ished  growth  of  vegetable  life.  And  here  also  the 
effect  of  climate  upon  the  productions  of  nature,  pre- 
sents a  remarkable  exception.  Trees  and  plants 
of  particular  species,  are  only  found  to  vegetate 
in  certain  latitudes,  and  to  be  confined  to  particular 
soils,  whose  chemical  constituents  are  congenial  to 
their  growth.  Every  modification  of  climate  has  its 
peculiar  plants  and  predominating  trees.  Animals 
also,  particularly  the  herbiferous  species,  have,  in 
all  countries,  more  or  less  confined  themselves  with? 
in  the  cycle  of  certain  species  of  vegetable  pro- 
ductions,— to  the  grasses  and  buds  of  trees  to  which 
they  are  particularly  attached, — or,  they  are  im- 
pelled in  the  search  of  herbs  necessary  to  their 
health  and  vigour.  But  the  inorganic  masses  of  the 
earth  are  confined  to  no  particular  latitudes,  and 
are  uniform  in  their  composition.  The  granites, 
the  limestones,  the  spars,  and  the  metals,  exhibit 
the  same  characters,  whether  picked  up  with- 
in the  arctic  circle,  or  under  the  torrid  zone.  The 
mineralogist  discovers  the  same  external  signs  and 
appearances,  and  the  chemist  finds  the  same  mine- 
ral conetituents  combined  in  the  same  propor- 
tions. It  has, 'indeed,  been  asserted,  that  metals 
are  confined  to  particular  latitudes, — that  gold 
and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  are  productions  pe- 
f;uliar  to  the  southern  hemisphere ;    bu^  ther^  \% 


I  M 


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-% 


# 


#  MB) 

nothing  in  the  theories  of  the  formation  of  mine 
ral   strata,    the  laws  of  cryslalljzalion,  or  in  th» 
known  influence  of  climates  upon  mineral  bodies 
to  justify  such  a  conclusion  j— there  is  no  reason 
that  can  be  drawn  from  philosophical  investigations 
to  prove  that  these  substances  may  not  be  abundant- 
ly fpund  in  the  climates  of  the  north,  even  upon  the 
banks  of  the  froaen  ocean.  The  fact  thatthese  produc- 
tfons  are  more  abundantly  found  within  the  higher  la- 
titudes,  does  not  appear  capable  of  explanation,  on  a 
supposed  effect  of  climate,  but  is  probably  whollj 
independent  of  that  circumstance.   On  the  contrary. 
tltere  is  reason  to  presume  that  the  precious  metals 
may  be  found  in  the  northern  regions  of  the  Ameri- 
can continent    Nothing  appears  more  improbably 
than  that  the  vfeins  of  silver  pre,  which  are  so  abun- 
dant in  Meidco,  and  the  province  of  Texas,  are 
checked  in  their  progress  northward  into  Arkansaw 
and  Missouri,  by  the  effect  of  climate.    This  metal 
is  known  to  be  found  in  association  only  with  certain 
Jimestones,  schists,  and  other  rocks,  and  where  these 
cease,  is  in  vain- to  be  sought.    Other  metals  and 
minerals  have  their  particular  associations,  serving 
as  a  geognostic  matrix,  and  hence  rock  strata  may  be 
considered  as  indexes  to  particular  metals,  minerals, 
and  ores;  and  the  geologist  is  thus  enabled  to  predict, 
with  considerable  certainty,  from  4he  examination 
of  the  exterior  of  a  country,  whether  it  is  metailife- 
rousv  or  not.    Until  such  examinations  are  made, 
we  must  be  permitted  to  say,  that  there  does  not  ap- 
pear any  thing  to  forbid  the  hope  of  finding  the  pre- 
vious metals  in  the  regions  of  the  northwest,  while 
there  are  several  facts  to  prove  that  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable,   it  is  here  that  the  stinted  growth  of  vegeta- 


tioD,  and  the  rock?  and  elevated  nature  of  the  coun- 
try^  leads  us  to  look  for  those  treasures  in  the  inineral 
kingdoni  which  nature  ha^  denied  in  soil  and  cli- 
mate. Ib  various  places  have  lead,  iron,  and  cop. 
per  already  been  discovered,  and  the  beauty  of  the 
carnelian,  the  agates,  and  the  chalcedonies,  picked 
up  alonjj^  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior,  prove  that 
the  hardy  regions  of  the  north  are  not  unfavourable 
to  the  production  of  mineral  gems.  But  it  is  chiefly, 
BO  far  as  actually  known,  in  the  abundance  of  copper 
that  the  minernlogy  of  this  region  claims  particular 
attention,  and  the  more  so,  as  it  is  found  in  the  na> 
tive  form.  Pieces  of  this  metal  have  been  discover- 
ed in  various  parts  of  tl^  region,  from  the  banks  of 
Muddy  river,  in  Illinois,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cop- 
per-Mine river,  which  enters  the  Frozen  ocean. 
At  the  latter  place,  Mr.  Hearne  found  it  in  his  visit 
to  the  Copper-Mine  river,  in  1771,  and  represents  it 
as  in  coratnon  use  for  ki.  /es,  trinkets,  &c.  among 
^he  Esquimaux,  ihe  Dog-ribbed;  and  the  Copper. 
Mine  tribes,  who  inhabit  that  inclement  region.*  It 
has  also  been  found  in  various  parts  of  Illinois,  as 
at  Harris(H),  and  old  Piora, — at  Dubuques  mines,— 
iVinnebago  lake, — on  the  St.  Peter'8,---St  Croix,^ 
Sauteur,  and  other  rivers, — but  most  abundantly 
vpon  Lake  Superior,  and  particularly  upon  the  ri- 
fer  Ontona^iH  where  the  large  mass  which  is  the 
object  of  our  prepent  visit,  has  long  attracted  atten- 
tion. It  is,  indeed,  notwithstanding  the  exaggerated 
accounts,  a  wonderful  mass,  and  viewed  in  connexion 
with  the  mineral  appearances  of  the  surrounding 
comitry,  leaves  little  doubt  that  extensive  mines  of 
Ihis  metal  exist  in  the  vicinity.  But  to  explore  it  wi\h 
f  See  Hearne'g  Jouroey  to  the  Northern  Ocean,  p.  172. 


w»!«i^|': 


^*£?^- 


f 


any  degree  of  satisfaction,  a  week  or  a  fortnight 
aflTords  a  very  inadequate  period,  while  the  extent  of 
the  route  to  be  performed,  and  the  danger  of  so 
large  a  partjr'a  getting  out  of  provisions  in  a  country 
almost  wholly  destitute  of  game,  forbids  even  the 
devotion  of  a  few  days  to  that  object.     Having, 
therefore,  examined  appearances,  and  taken  such 
notes,  and  specimens  of  the  metal,  ns  time  and  cir^ 
cumstances  would  permit,  we  returned  to  our  ca- 
noes, which  had  been  left  at  the  distance  of  six  miles 
below.    On  reaching  the  canoes,  we  were  alarmed 
on  finding  that  Gov.  Cass,  from  whom  we  had  part- 
ed at  the  Indian  path,  at  two  o'clock,  had  not  yet 
reached  the  cnmp,  nor  any  of  the  attendants  who 
were  with  him,~among  whom  was  one  of  the  In- 
dian guides.     Some  idea  of  the  rugged  nature  of  the 
country  may  be  formed  when  it  is  stated,   that  thcj 
had  lost  their  way  in  attempting  to  reach  the  river, 
notwithstanding  that  they  were  only  distant  three 
miles,  and  led  by  an  Indian  acquainted  with  those 
parts  generally.     Night  was  rapidly  closing  around 
us,  and  after  firing  repeated  signal  guns,  and  send- 
ing out  in  all  directions,  nothing  could  be  heard  of 
them.     The  feelings  of  the  party  may  be  imagined 
upon  this  occasion,  seated,  as  we  were,  in  the  midst 
of  one  of  the  most  awfol  solitudes,  and  in  a  region 
which  had  impressed  every  individual  with  an  inde- 
scribable feeling,  that  was  manifested  in  a  general 
anxiety  to  depart  from  it.    I  was  perhaps  alone  in 
the  wish  to  continue  our  examinations.    At  length 
the  lost  party  were  discovered  by  a  canoe  sent  up 
the  river,  setting  upon  the  shore,  and  exhausted 
with  fatigue,  and  their  arrival  restored  tranquillity  tq 
our  camp. 


*> 


■%^ 


^•JT  ■  J*» 


183 

XXXVI!.  Day.— (/une  2M.)— At  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning  wc  commenced  our  return.  On  descending 
eight  or  ten  miles,  our  Indian  guides  stopped  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  river,  to  eiamine  a  bear-fall  that 
had  been  previously  set,  and  were  overjoyed  to 
find  a  large  bear  entrapped.  As  it  was  no  great 
distance  from  the  river,  we  all  landed  to  en- 
joy the  sight.  The  animal  sat  up  on  his  fore  pawq 
facing  us,  the  hinder  paws  being  pres^fd  to  the 
ground  by  a  heavy  weight  of  logs  which  had  been 
arranged  in  such  a  manner  as  to  allow  the  bear  to 
creep  under,  and  then  by  seizing  the  bait,  had  sprung 
the  trap,  and  he  could  not  extricate  himself,  although, 
with  his  fore  paws,  he  had  demolished  a  part  of  the 
works.  After  viewing  him  for  some  time,  a  ball  was 
fired  through  his  head,  but  it  did  not  kill  him,  the 
bear  kept  his  position,  and  seemed  to  growl  in  defi- 
ance. A  second  ball  was  aimed  at  the  heart,  and  took 
effect,  but  he  did  not  resign  the  contest  immediate- 
ly, and  was  at  last  despatched  with  an  axe.  As  soon 
as  the  bear  fell,  one  of  the  Indians  walked  up;  and 
addressing  him  by  the  name  of  Muck-wah^  shook 
him  by  the  paw,  with  a  smiling  countenance,  as  if 
he  had  met  with  an  old  acquaintance,  saying,  in  the 
Indian  language,  he  was  sorry  they  had  been  under 
the  necessity  of  killing  him,  and  hoped  the  ofience 
would  be  forgiven,  particularly  as  Che-mo-gue-mon* 
had  fired  one  of  the  balls.  This  animal  measures  five 
feet  in  length,  and  would  probably  weigh  three  hun- 
dred pounds.  The  head  is  email  and  narrow,  with 
a  long  pointednose,  and  covered  with  glossy  black 

.  'This  ia  a  (general  name  among  thp  Chipp«wayt  for  ihr>  Aine* 
ricans.  It  signifies  the  «  Long  Knife."  Sag-a-noah  is  the  term 
forth»Britiih. 


*i 


¥ 


id4 

ttdt  &M  over  Jhe  body,  except  some  spots  of  brownw 
ish  jellow  upon  the  cheeks  and  throat.     It  appears 
(o  be    the  common    black    bear    of    natural istsi 
(ursus  niger,)  which  is  freqdent  in  the  United  States. 
By  the  joy  which  '^as  evident  upon  the  counte- 
nances of  the  savages  upon  this  occasion,  it  is  a 
rare  occurrence  among  them  to  kill  a  bear.   But 
perhaps  this   animal    is  never  killed   without  ex- 
ultation, as   it    is  universally  considered    the  no* 
blest   object  of  the  chase      Some   difficulty  has 
arisen    among  naturalists  as  ir^   the  character    of 
this  animai,  which,  although  provided  with  canine 
teeth,    is  supposed    to    subsist    principally    upon 
vegetable  food.     St  is,  however,  certain  that  it  is 
also  carniverous,  and  will  prey  upon  hogs  End  other 
animals  when  pressed  for  food.     The  Indians  say 
that  it  is  very  fond  of  all  sorts  of  nuts,  esculent  roots, 
and  wild  honey,  and  frequently  attacks  their  corn 
fields.     It  will  travel  a  great  way  from  its  den  into 
the  pine  ridges  to  feed  upon  whortle  berries,  and  is 
also  very  fond  of  mulberries,  blackberries,  and  all 
sweet  flavoured  and  -picy  fruits.     They  add,  that  it 
is  only  in  the  utmost  extremity  that  it  takes  hold  of 
animal  food,  and  in  a  region  where  its  favourite 
fruits  are  plenty,  will  pass  by  the  carcase  of  a  deer 
V'ithout  touching  it.    On  the  pume  account  it  never 
attacfs  men,  unless  wounded,  and  too  hotly  pressed, 
when  it  turns  upon  i(s  pursuers  with  the  fury  of  a 
lion.     On  such  occasions  one  stroke  of  the  paw  is 
sufficient  to  kill  t  leir  sioalest  dogs     The  Indians 
hold  this  animal  in  the  highest  estJmation,  not  only 
on  acc6unt  of  their  great)  foiulness  of  its  flesh,  but 
because  there  is  no  pert  of  it  which  js  useless.     The 
carcass,  the  skin,  the  claws  and  head,  and  even  tfac 


185' 

intestines,  are  all  turned  to  account.  The  fleshy 
part  of  the  claws  is  considered  a  very  groat  delica* 
cy, — the  claws  themselves  are  cut  out,  strung  to- 
gether upon  a  deer's  sinew,  and  worn  as  an  orna- 
ment about  the  neck.  The  oil,  is,  however,  consi- 
dered the  most  valuable  part,  whether  kept  for  use, 
or  for  the  purpose  of  selling  to  the  traders.  They 
rub  their  bodies  with  ii  to  protect  themselves  from 
the  bite  of  the  musquitoe.  It  has  the  singular  pro- 
perty of  destroying  lice  in  the  hair,  and  if  occasion- 
ally used,  of  preventing  their  appearance  altogether. 
They  aSso  rub  their  joints  with  it,  believing  with 
the  RomariB,  that  it  renders  them  supple.  A  singular 
fact  is  mentioned  by  Pennant,  that  the  female  bear  is 
never  killed  with  young,  and  it  is  explained  on  the 
supposition,  (for  the  fact  admits  of  doubt,)  that  the 
male  possesses  such  an  unnatural  dislike  to  its  off- 
spring, as  to  kill  and  devour  the  cubs.  On  this  ac- 
count, the  female  retires  before  the  period  of  partu- 
rition, into  remote  woods  and  clefts  of  rocks,  and 
does  not  return  until  the  cubs  have  attained  a  cer- 
tain growth. 

In  passing  down  the  river  one  of  the  Indians  had 
promised  to  discover  another  mass  ot  copper  near 
the  river,  but  after  landing  and  hunting  sometime, 
pretended  he  could  not  find  it.  An  Indian  after- 
wards brought  us  a  lump  of  <opper  weighing  be- 
tween eight  and  nine  pounds,  which  he  said  was 
picked  up  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ontonagon.  This 
specimen  was  covered  with  a  green  crust,  and  not  in 
so  pure  a  state  as  the  great  mass  above.  On  reach- 
ing the  lake  we  found  the  wind  directly  ahead,  and 
were  detained  the  remainder  of  the  day.  In  tf»e  af- 
ternoon a  council  was  held  with  the  Indians,  and 

24 


^ 


f\\ 


\)i 


')•  I. 


i-/ 


186 

presents  distributed  among  them,  and  one  of  th^ 
number,  who  appeared  to  merit  if,    constituted  a 
chief,  by  being  invested  with  a  flag  and  silver  me- 
dal.    In  the  evening,  they  danced  upon  the  sand  for 
our  amusement.    I  have  already  spoken  of  Indian 
dancing  and  music.     It  is  perhaps  all  we  could  ex- 
pect from  untutored  savages,  but  there  is  nothing 
about  it  which  has  ever  struck  me  as  either  interest- 
ing or  amusing,  and  after  having  seen  these  per- 
formances  once  or  twice,  they  become  particularly 
iedious,  and  it  is  a  severe  tax  upon  one's  patience 
to  sit  and  be  compelled,  m  order  to  keep  their  good 
opinions,  to  appear  pleased  with  it. 

XXXVIII.  Da¥.— (/tt«e  30/A.)— Detained  by  head 
winds.      There  is  very  little  in  the  appearances  of 
the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  our  encampment,  to 
compensate  for  our  delay.    A  sandy  plain  stretches 
along  the  shore  of  the  lake  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reaeh. 
The  highlands  of  the  Ontonagon  are  visible  towards 
the  south,  and  the  Porcupine  mountains  at  the  distance 
of  thirty  miles  west,  appear  to  rise  out  of  the  lake, 
and  imprint  their  lofty  and  rugged  outlines  upon  the 
distant  clouds.     Towards  the  north  there  is  an  inter- 
minable expanse  of  water,  without  a  solitary  island 
to  variegate  the  view.    Letting  the  eye  fall  upon  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  our  camp,  the  Indian  village 
appears  on  tlie  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  we  are 
surrounded   on   all  sides   by  a  bed  of  loose  sand, 
which  the  wind  is  continually  drifting  into  heaps. 
There  is  not  a  pebble  upon   the   shore,  nor  a  stra- 
tum of  rock  within  a  dozen   miles.      Occasional 
strata  ofiron  sand,  very  pure  and  black,  are  found. 
An  Indian  brought  me  a  number  of  specimens  of  iron 


\    % 


w 

ore,  procured  at  Point  Keweena,  near  the  port- 
age, where  he  represents  ii  to  exist  in  large  quantity. 
The  specimens  consist  of  red  hematite  and  iron  py- 
rites.     Both  these  substances  are  said  to  occiir   • 
in  quantity  on  Iron  river,  which  enters  the  lake 
^teen  piijes  west  of  the  Ontonagon.    While  encamp- 
ed here,  pigeons  have  been  very  plenty,  and  vast 
numbers   have  been  killed,  some  with  sticks  and 
stones.    The  Indians  have  also  supplied  us  with  stur- 
geon from  the  fishery,  both  fresh  and  dried,  and  with 
a  part  of  the  bear  which  they  entrapped,  but  the 
latter,  being  in  poor  order,  and  a  male,  has  not  pos- 
sessed that  flavour  for  which  young  bear's  meat  kil- 
led in  the  proper  seaspn,  is  generally  relished. 

The  weather  since  our  arrival  upon  the  banks  of 
this  river,  has  been  clear  and  warm,  and  during  the 
middleofthe  day,  oppressively  sultry.  The  wind 
which  blew  fair  from  the  E.  N.  E.  on  our  arrival, 
shifted  to  the  north  west  on  the  following  day,  and 
has  blown  steadily  from  that  point  without  change. 
The  thermometer  stood  at  91°  on  the  28th,  at  94*  on 
the  'i9th,  and  at  89*  on  the  30th,  and  the  mean  heat 
^s  deduced  from  three  daily  observations  has  been 
80".  During  the  same  time  the  mean  temperature  of 
the  water  of  Lake  Superior  has  been  66%  and  of  the 
water  of  the  Ontonagon  river  7a*.  The  following 
thermometrical  memoranda  made  at  irregular  inter- 
vals, as  circumstances  would  permit,  may  here  be 
added. 

Temperature  of  the  Air. 
Jure  28th,  at  8  A.  M. 74o— at  1  F.  M.  91°-at  6  P.  M.  74«»  av. 79" 
«    29th,  at  8  A.  M.  79«»— at  1  P.  M.  94«'— at  7  P-  M.  86*  av.  66'* 
«   80th,  at  9  A.  M.  76o— at  2  P.  M.  89«'— at  8  P.  M.  60"  av.  75* 


3)240 


Mean  teron.  for  three  dayi  8Q' 


188 


WaUr  of  the  Ontonagon  Rimr. 


**   30lh,.t 8  A.  M.  r4.^t 8 P.M.  71.  ^'- ;:;j: 

3)219 
ATerage  temperature  Ti* 
Wattro/Lakt&qmior. 


June  28th,  at  8  A.  M.  26o-ai6  P.  M.  72- 
"    29th,  at  8  A  M.  6l—at  7  P.  M.  68o. 
"   SOth,  at  8  A.M.  60p-Hit  9  P.M.  <i8«. 


8)200 
Mean  temperature  66^ 


'  ? 


•fte.-   » 


1^ 


« 


CHAP.  VII. 


J  O  U  RJV  E  Yj 


fSOM  THE  O^fTOJ^AGO^r  RIVER  TO  THE  FOJ^D  DU  LAt. 


»«•* 


XXXIX.  Day.— (A/y  IsU) 


Thp 


wind  ceased  during  the  night,  and  the  morn- 
ing was  calm,  with  a  dense  fog,  which  rendered  it 
impossible  to  discern  objects  at  the  distance  of  two 
or  three  hundred  yards.      We  left  the  mouth  of  the 
Ontonagon  at  half  past  four  in  the  morning.     In  go* 
ing  eight  or  ten  miles  a  favourable  wind  arose  which^ 
enabled  us  to  proceed  under  sail  for  a  couple  of  hours. 
Fifteen  miles  bejond  the  Ontonagon,  wc  passed  the 
mouth  of  Iron  river,  which  is  very  rapid,  and  irrter- 
locks  with  some  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Uusconsing. 
Iron  ore  and  pyrites  are  said  to  abound  lipon  its' 
banks.     Five  leagues  beyond,  we  passed  the  Carp 
river,  which  originates  in  the  Porcupine  mountains, 
and  h£^s  a  perpendicular  fall  of  forty  feet,  three  miles 
from  its  mouth    Presque  Isle  river  is  six  miles  further. 
It  is  also  very  rapid  and  not  much  navigated  in  ca- 
noes.    Black  river  is  next  parsed,  at  the  distance  of 
two  leagues.    It  is  also  raps  J,  ind  originates  in  thfe 
broken  lands  south  of  the  Porcupine  mountains. 


♦^ 


•^^mmfn 


ms^ 


190 

Eight  miles  beyond  this,  we  encamped,  Imvjng  pro- 
ceeded fifty  miles.      The  shore  of  the  lake  from  the 
Ontonagon  river,  until  we  arrive  off  the  Porcupine 
mountains,  is  sandy,  with  ihe'exoeption  of  a  ledge  of 
sand  rc^k  which  appears  a  fiew  feet  above  the  water 
at  th»)  mouth  of  Iron  river,  and  is  inclined  towards 
the  N.  E.  at  an  angle  of  3ix  or  eight  degrees     On 
passing  by  the  Porcupine  mountains,  the  same  rock, 
(red  sand  stone)  is  visible  along  the  shore,  but  in  a 
position  so  highly  inclhied,  as  to  appear  nearly  verti- 
cal.    Itdipsundfertho  lake  towards  the  north,  and 
appearances  seem   to  indicate    that  it    has    been 
thrown  into  this  position  by  the  upheaving  of  the 
granitic  masses  of  the  Porcupine  mountains,  which 
riBemt  a  very  short  distance  from  the  lake.      These 
mountains  have  a  very  rugged  and  commanding  ap- 
pearance, and  rise  to  a  surprising  height.      We  saw 
them  under  the  influence  of  great  atmospheric  re- 
fraction, from  Keweena  Portage,  a  distance  of  eighty 
miles.    Captain  Douglass  has  estimated  their  alti- 
tude at  from  one  thousand   eight  hundred  to  two 
thousand  feet  above  Lake  Superior.     His  data  are 
the  distances  at  which  they  are  visible  with  the  na- 
ked eye,  under  different  degrees  of  refraction.    Mr. 
Darby  says  «  any  object  capable  of  being  seen  upon 
the  curve  of  the  earth's  surface  forty  miles,  must  be 
within  a  trifle  of  one  thousand  one  hundred  feet 
high."— Tour /o  i>c/roi/,  p.  175. 

Charlevoix  observes, «  when  a  storm  is  about  to  rise 
on  Lake  Superior,  you  are  advertised  of  it,  two  or 
three  days  previous.  At  first,  you  perceive  a  gen- 
tle murmuring  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  which 
lasts  the  whole  day  without  increasing  in  any  sen- 
"Jble  manner ;  the  d^y  after  the  Jake  is  covered 


■1 


191 

With  pretty  large  waves,  but  without  brealting  all 
that  daj,  so  that  you  may  proceet^  wiihont  fear,  and 
even  make  good  way  if  the  wind  is  favourable  ;  but 
on  the  third  day  when  you  are  the  least  thinking  of 
it,  the  lake  becomes  all  on  fire,  the  ocean  in  its 
greatest  rage  is  not  more  tost,  in  which  case  you 
must  take  care  to  be  near  shelter,  to  save  your- 
self. This  you  are  always  sure  to  find  on  the  north 
shore,  whereas  on  the  south  you  are  obliged  to  se- 
cure yourself  the  second  day  at  a  considerable  dis- 
tance from  the  water  side."*  Altllougl»  we  are  not 
prepared  to  corroborate  this  remark,  yet  something 
of  the  kind  has  this  day  been  witnessed,  for  notwith- 
standing the  prevalence  of  a  calm  during  the  whole 
day,  with  the  exception  of  about  two  hours  ift.  the 
morning,  when  the  wind  was  however  light,  the  lake 
towards  evening  has  been  in  a  perfect  rage,  and  we 
effected  a  landing  with  greater  hazard  than  has  yet 
been  encountered.  At  the  same  time  scarce  a 
breath  of  air  was  stirring,  and  the  atmosphere  was 
beautifully  clear. 

XL.  Day.— (July  2</.)— Thirteen  miles  from  oar 
encampment,  we  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Montreal 
rivor,  which  we  entered,  and  landed  upon  its  banks. 
This  is  a  long  and  rapid  river,  and  is  connected  with 
the  head  waters  of  the  Chippeway  and  Ousconsing. 
About  eight  hundred  yards  above  its  mouth  it  has  a 
fell  of  eighty  or  ninety  feet,  where  the  river  is  pre- 
cipitated over  a  rugged  barner  of  vertical  rocks,  by 
eeveral  successive  leaps,  the  Jast  of  which  is  about 
forty  feet  perpendicular.  This  brings  the  stream  on 
a  level  with  Lake  Superior,  which  it  joins  in  a  broad 

*  Charievoix,  p.  44.  vol.  2; 


% 


■W" 


192 

deep  stream,  with  reddish  colour-d  water.    Tfili 
view  18  highly  picturesque  as  presented  from  the 
point  of  land  formed  hy  the  junction  of  the  river  with 
the  lake.     Notwithstanding  its  rapidity,  and  falls,  it 
18  frequently  ascended  by   the  traders,  and  a  port- 
age of  one  hundred  and  twenty  pauses  commences  at 
Its  mouth.     The  soiithwest  company  have  an  estab- 
lishment onLacdu  Flambeau,  which  is  near  the 
head  of  this  river.    Between  the  foot  of  the  falls  and 
the  lake,  the  Indians  have  a  wier  similar  to  that  on 
the  Ontonagon,  for  catching  sturgeon,  and  there  is 
an  Indian  village  a  {evr  miles  west  of  it.     During  a 
short  stay  here,  wc  found  pigeons  very  abundant, 
and  several  were  killed  with  clubs. 

Twelve  miles  beyond  the  Montreal  river,  is  the 
Mauv&is  which  is  navigable  a  hundred  miles  in  ca- 
noes, and  takes  its  rise  in  the  Ottaway  Lake.     From 
this  a  portage  is  made  into  branches  of  the  St.  Croix 
and  Chippeway  rivers,  through  a  series   of  small 
lakes,  the  principal  of  which  are  Spear,  Clam,  Sum- 
mer, Pacquayahwan,  and  Lac  du  Coutere,     On  the 
latter  the  southwest  company  have  a  trading  estab- 
lishment.    On  the  banks  of  the  Ottaway  lake  the  In- 
dians procure  a  sort  of  red  steatite,  similar  to  that  of 
St.  Peter's,  of  which  they  manufacture  pipes.     Six 
miles   beyond  the  Mauv^ise,  is  Point  Che-goi-me- 
gon,  once  the  grand  rendezvous  of  the  Chippenay 
tribe,  but  now  reduced  to  a   few  lodges.     Three 
miles  further  west  is  the  island  of  St.  Michael,  which 
lies  in  the  traverse  across  Chegoimegon  Bay,  where 
M.Cadottehas  an  esiablishment.   This  was  former- 
ly an  important  trading  post  but  is  now  dwindled  to 
nothing.     There  is  a  dwelling  of  logs,  stockaded  in 
the  usual  manner  of  trading  houses,  besides  several 


f'\ 


'fSl. 


»ut  buildings,  and  pome  land  in  cultivation.  We 
here  also  found  several  cows  and  horses,  which  have 
been  transported  with  great  labour.  On  tMs  isl- 
and two  pieces  of  native  copper  were  found  some 
years  ago,  one  of  which  was  a  foot  long,  and  weigh- 
ed twenty-eight  pounds.  It  in  also  stated  that  a  sil- 
ver mlnfe  exists  on  the  main  shore  southwest  of  the 
island,  but  during  the  short  time  of  our  stay,  we 
could  procure  no  satisfactory  information  on  the  sub- 
ject. The  Indians  appear  very  jealous  of  everj^  at- 
tempt to  explore  the  mineralogy  of  their  territories, 
and  are  loth  to  communicate  any  information  that 
would  lead  to  a  discovery.  We  encamped  seven 
miles  west  of  this  island,  on  the  main  shore. 

The  shore  of  the  lake  during  this  day's  journey 
has  exhibited  seme  diversity.  Re^.  sand  stone,  in  a 
vertical  position,  continues  for  a  few  miles  beyond 
Montreal  river.  It  generally  rises  out  of  the  water 
abruptly,  and  in  some  places,  as  between  Black  and 
Montreal  rivers,  to  a  height  of  eighty  or  a  hundred 
feet.  In  the  interstices  of  the  rock,  the  water  has 
driven  up  pebbles  of  granite,  hornblende,  quartz,  &c. 
A  bank  of  red  clay,  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet  in  depth, 
overlays  the  rock,  covered  with  a  young  growth  ot 
birch  and  poplar.  There  are  no  large,  or  apparently 
old  trees,  seen  along  this  part  of  the  coast.  About 
four  miles  beyond  Montreal  river,  the  rock  ceases, 
and  a  sandy  shore  succeeds,  which  continues  to 
Point  Chegoimegon,  or  Sandy  Point.  The  Mau vaise 
river  enters  through  this  plain  of  sand.  On  reach- 
ing the  main  shore  west  of  Chegoimegon  Bay,  we 
perceive  a  rough,  high,  and  broken  region  of  hills, 
consisting  chiefly  of  hornblende  rock.  There  is  a 
sandy  b^achon  the  lake  shore,  and  at  the  distance 

25 


h 


of  from  one  to  6ire  miles  in  the  lake,  lie  a  cluster  oT 
wooded  islands,  which  Carver  called  the  Twelve 
Apostles.    There  appears  to  be  fifteen  or  twenty  in 
number,  and  thejr  present  a  very  beauUful  and  pic- 
turesque groupe. 

XLf.  Day.— (yw^  3(/.)— We  had  rain  during  the 
inght  and  it  continued  until  a'ljL  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing,  when  we  embarked,  and  proceeded  northwest 
eight  miles  to  Raspberry  river,— then  southwest  six 
miles  to  Sandy  river,  where  a  head  wind  and  an  ap- 
proaching storm  compelled  us  to  land.     Before  we 
could  onload  our  canoes,  or  pitch  a  tent,  rain  com- 
menced, and  it  poured  down  in  torrents  for  an  hour 
or  more,  during  which  there  was  no  altcrnaUve  but 
to  stand  patiently  upon  the  sand.     If  we  had  lain  at 
the  bottom  of  the  lake,  we  could  not  have  been  more 
completely  drenched.     When  the  rain  ceased,  the 
wind  arose  from  the  southwest,  and  confined  us  to 
that  spot  during  ^he  remainder  of  the  day. 

XLII.  Day.— (ytfi^.i/A.)^We  passed  the  forty-fiftU 
Anniversary  of  American  Independance  until  two 
o'clock,  at  the  mouth  of  Sandy  river.      The  wind 
continued  to  blow  unfavourably  a  great  part  of  the 
day.    In  the  afternoon  it  changed  so  that  we  were 
able  to  put  out,  although  the  lake  was  still  agitated  : 
on  going  three  miles  we  turned  a  prominent  point  of 
land  called  De  Tonr,  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the 
great  Fond  du  Lar,  or  West  Bay.     Here  we  changed 
rjr  course  from  N.  W.  to  S.  S.  W.  and  continued  ife 
with  little  variation,  to  the  mouih  of  Cranberry  river, 
where  we  encamped  at  eight  o'clock,  having  pro- 
gressed thirty-three  miles.  The  evening  was  clearanil 
calm  and  twilight  was  observable  all  night.    In  the 


195 

latitude  of  67*  47',  Mackenzie  saw  the  sun  above  the 
fiorizon  at  |2  o'clock,  P.  M.  This  was  on  the  tlth 
July,  1 789.  In  42",  (the  meridian  of  Albany  and  De- 
troit,) the  light  of  the  sun  is  wholly  invisible  at  this 
season  aAer  eight  o'clock. 

XLIII.  Day. — {July  fuh.) — We  were  upon  the  lake 
this  morning  before  three  o'clock.      The  sun  rose 
above  the  horizon  at  ten  minutes  before  four,  giving 
us  day  light  nearly  an  hour  sooner  than  it  will  reach 
our  friends  on  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic.  The  morn- 
ing was  clear  and  calm,  and  the  prospect  of  reach- 
ing the  head  of  the  lake,  before  the  sun  would  again 
set,  put  our  party  in  the  finest  spirits,  and  the  voya- 
geurs  worked  with  renewed  vigour.  At  the  distance 
of  five  leagues  from  Cranberry  river,  we  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  Bois  Brul6,  which  enters  the  lake  at  the 
foot  of  asmall  bay.    This  riv«r  is  navigated  80  miles, 
and  a  portage  of  two  pauses  then  made  into  a  small 
lake,  which  is  the  source  of  St.  Croix  river.  The  latter 
enters  the  Mississippi   between  St.  Peter's  and  lake 
Pepin,  and  is  navigable  at  all  seasons.     The  South 
West  Company  have  an  establishment  one  hundre4 
leagues  from    its   mouth,    and    about    twenty-five 
leagues  south  of  the  Fond  du  Lac.      Three  miles 
beyond  Bois  Brul6  we  landed  on  the  sandy  shore 
a  few  moments,  and  here  found  an  immense  body 
of  iron  sand,  very  pure  and  black.      It  lay  in  a  stra- 
tum of  a  foot  in  thickness  along  the  shore,  and  ex- 
tending either  way,  as  far  as  we  examined.     At  elev- 
en o'clock  a  northeast  wind  arose  which  enabled  us 
to  hoist  sail,  and  an  hour  afterwards  we  entered  the, 
mouth  of  the  river  St.  Louis,  which  enters  the  lake 
at  the  head  of  the  Fond  du  Lac.      Thus  have  we 
completed  the  passage  of  Lake  Superior  on  the 


■fefd-i^v 


190 

eiKhteeiith  dny  after  our  depaHuro  from  Point  aux 
Pins,  .nclucliiip  the  excursion  up  the  Ontonairon  and 
the  delay  at  the  mouth  of  that  river.      The  entire 
distance  from  Point  Iroquois  is  four  hundred  and 
ninety  miles,  and  this  is  the  greatest  length  of  the 
Jake,  in  a  direct  course  from  east  to  west.      In  tra- 
versing around  the  Canadian  shore  it  is  estimated  at 
twelve  hundred  miles,  and  its  extreme  breadth  from 
the  bottom  of  Keweena  Bay,  to  the  mouth  of  Nipe. 
Jon  nver,  is  a  hundred  and  ninety  miles.  Itscircum- 
lerence  may  be  estimated  at  seventeen  hun.lred 
miles.  Mr.  Darby  has  calculated  its  medium  depth  at 
90()  feet,  and  its  superficial  area  at  836,;i52,()00,0()0 
|eet.       It  has  a  number  of  large  and  well  wooded 
islands,  the  principal  of  which  are  Maurepas,  Phil- 
lipoux,  the  Island  of  Yellow  Sands,  and  Isle  Hoyal 
The  latter  is  represented  by  Carver  as  bein^r  «an 
hundred  miles  long,  and  in  many  places,  forty  broad  " 
The  island  of  Maurepas  is   reputed  to  abound  in 
minerals,  and  was  formerly  explored  by  the  copper 
mine  company.    "  I  found  it,"  says  the  agent,  "  one 
so  id  rock,  thinly  covered  with  soil,  except  in  the 
valleys  ;  but  generally  well  wooded.     Its  qircumfer- 
cnce  IS  twelve  leagues.    On  examining  the  surface 
I  saw  nothing  remarkable,  except  large  veins  of 
transparent  spar,  and  a  mass  of  rock,  at  the  south 

•  The  following^  comparative  estimate  of  the  volume  > 
in  the  rhoin  of  northwestern  Lakes,  is  given  by  Mr.  Darhv 
Tour  to  Detroit,  p.  11 7- 


';'  his 


LAKKST 

Superior, 
Hiiroir, 

Michigan, 

Er*.". 

Cnttrio^. 


9iiO       I  8s6;352/.0().000  7327r^"87^(Jo^ 

KK^   KA.:i  f\i\r\  f\j\£\^\   »*v-    «--     _      _     _ 


900 
900 
120 

492 


Solid  con tento  in  fa«t. 


I  557,563,0nO.00O  50l,8ll,2tK),OO'»,00O 
376,898,400,000  339.20«,56ti,00O,*)OQ 
41 8,J  76 .000,000  50,181,120.000,000 

I  200;724,480,000j  98,756,444,160,000 


197 


end  of  thp  island,  which  appearrd  to  be  composed 
of  iron  ore."  The  Island  of  Yollow  Snnda  derives 
its  chief  interest  from  the  traditions  and  llinciful  tales 
which  the  Indians  relate  concerning  its  mineral  trea- 
sures, and  their  supornatural  guardistns.  Thcj 
pretend  that  its  shores  are  covered  with  a  heavy  shi- 
ning yellow  sand,  which  they  would  persuade  us  is 
Kold,  but  that  the  guardiati  spirit  of  the  island,  will  not 
permit  any  of  it  to  be  carried  away.  To  enforce  his 
commands  he  has  drawn  together  upon  it,  myriads 
of  eagles,  hawks,  and  other  birdi*  of  prey,  who  by 
their  cries  warn  him  of  any  intrusions  upon  the  do- 
main, and  assist  with  their  claws  and  beaks  to  expel 
the  enemy  He  has  also  called  from  the  depths  of 
the  lake,  large  serpents  of  the  most  hideous  forms, 
who  lie  thickly  coiled  upon  the  golden  sands,  and 
hiss  defiance  to  the  nteps  of  the  invader.  A  ^reat 
many  years  ago,  it  is  pretended,  that  some  people  of 
their  nation  were  driven  by  stress  of  weather,  \o  take 
shelter  upon  the  enchanted  island,  and  being  struck 
with  the  beautiful  and  glittering  appearance  of  (he 
treasure,  they  put  a  large  quantity  of  it  in  their  ca- 
noes, and  attempted  to  carry  it  oiT,  but  a  gigantic 
spirit  strode  into  the  water,  and  in  a  voice  of  thunder, 
commanded  them  to  bring  it  back.  Territied  with 
his  amazing  size,  and  threatening  aspect,  they  obey- 
ed, and  were  afterwards  suflfered  to  depart  without 
molestation,  but  they  have  rever  since  attempted 
to  land  upoM  it. 

''Listen  whiter,  an— go  not  there, 

*'  Unseen  spirii     talk  the  air  ; 

*'  Ravenous  birds  their  influi'nce  lend, 

"  Snnkee  defy — and  kites  defend. 

''  There  the  star-eyed  panther  p-owls, 

[*  ^n4  tl)«  wolf  ia  hunger  howls  y 


'^^^f^^i^m 


fi 


108 

"  There  the  speckled  adder  breeds^ 
♦•  And  the  famish-d  eagle  feeds, 
"  Spirits  keep  them—fiends  incite, 
!•  "  They  are  eager  for  the  fight, 

f        4  "  ^"^  ««•«  thirsting  night  and  day, 

t!  "  <^"  < he  5>»man  heart  to  prey, 

J  *♦  Touch  not  then  iho  guarded  landd 

'♦  Of  the  isle  of  yellow  sands."— MSS, 

Carvcrrepresents  «the  country  on  the  north  and  east 
parts  of  Lake  Superior  as  very  mour.iainous  and  Bar- 
ren, and  Mackenzie  adds,  that  "it  is  a  continued  moun- 
lanioua  embankment  of  rock,  from  three  hundred  to 
one  thousand  five  hundred  feet  in  height."  The  prin- 
cipal rivers  on  that  shore  are  the  Pic,  Nipegon,  and 
Micheptcoten.      The  climate  is  described  as  very 
untavourab  e  and  the  vegetation  slow  and  scanty. 
Tie  can  only  speak  with  certainty  of  the  southern 
coast,  on  which  it  receives  thirty  tributary  rivers,  but 
none  of  them  exceed  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in 
length.     Of  these  the  Ontonagon,  Montreal,  Mau- 
vaiHe,  Bois  Brule,  and  St.  Loui.  are  the  largest,  and 
commumcate  with   the   waters  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  coast  IS  sandy  from  Point  Iroquois  to  the  Pic- 
ti:  ed  Rocks  ;  then  rocky  to  the  foot  of  the  Fond  du 
Lac,  with  occasional  plains  of  sand,  as  at  the  Onto- 
nagon,  and  Point  Chegoimegon,  and  fron,  that  to  the 
head  of  the  lake,  sandy  and  without  hills.   The  forest 
trees  are  white  and  yellow  pme,  hemlock,  spruce, 
birch,  poplar,  and  oak,  with  a  mixture  of  elm,  maple, 
and  ash,  upon  the  banks  of  the  rivers.  The  coast  is  ve- 
jry  elevated,-in  some  places  mountainous,-Kenerallv 
s  erile,-^nd  dangerous  to  navigate,     ft  is  subject  to 
storms  and  sudden  transitions  of  temperature,  aad  to 
fogs  and  mists,  which  are  often  so  dense  as  to  ob- 
scure objects  at  a  short  distance,  and  prove  disas- 
trous  to  canoe  travellers,  by  separating  the  party  and 


driving  them  upon  rocks  and  sand  banks.    It  apr 
pears  to  enjoy  a  warm  atmosphere  during  the  sum- 
mer season,  the  result  of  our  observations  indicating 
a  mean  heat  of  66*  for  June,  and  64*  for  July.      We 
found  strawberries  ripe  at  Keweena  Portage  on  the 
25th,  ar-l  at  the  Ontonagon  on  the  27th  of  June.  But 
it  has  a  long  and  frightful  winter.    The  Indians  liv- 
ing upon  its  shores  are  divided  into  small  bands,  and 
rely  more  upon  the  fish  of  the  lake,  than  upon  the 
chace.      There  are  two  kinds  of  trout,   some  of 
tvhich  weigh  fifty  pounds.     White    fish,  sturgeon 
pickerel,  pike,  carp,  black  bass,  and  herring,  are  al- 
so abundant.    Although  we  have  occasionally  met 
ducks  along  the  shore,  it  is  not  a  favourite  resort  of 
water  fowl.      The  waters  are  too  pure  and  deep, 
and  the  coast  too  rocky  for  the  growth  of  the  wild 
rice,  and  those  aquatic  plants  which  draw  such  my- 
riads of  these  birds  into  the  northwestern  regions. 
Its  mineralogy  and  geology  have  been  detailed  in 
the  progress  of  the  voyage.      No  part  of  the  union 
presents  a  more  attractive  field  for  geological  inves- 
tigation or  mineral  discoveries.    Its  copper,  iron,  and 
lead,  promise  to  become  important  items  in  the  fu- 
ture commerce  of  the  country.      The  beds  of  iron 
sand  along  the  shore  exceed  every  thing  of  the  kind 
found  in  the  United  States.      It  presents  two  har- 
bours for  vessels  which  are  rarely  equalled :— These 
are  Grand  Isle,  and  Chegoimegon  Bay.     '1  he  former 
is  perhaps  the  most  capacious,  deep,  and  completely 
land-locked  of  any  in  America.     Such  are  the  lead- 
ing traits  of  the  southern  shore  of  Superior.     The 
French  it  appears  bestowed  unsuccessfully  upon  this 
lake  the  names  of  Conde,  and  Tracy.      The  former 
had  previously  been  applied  to  Erie,  but  neither 
were  ever  fully  adopted.      I  was  anxious  from  the 


SkM) 


time  of  6ur  entrance  upon  it,  to  learn  the  Indiafl 
name ;  it  is  Missisawgaiegon,  8ii.nifviug  simply  -great 
Jake."  According  to  the  estimates  which  I  have 
made,  this  lake  has  an  elevation  of  fifty -one  feet  above 
Lake  Huron,— eightj-one,  above  Lake  Erie,— and 
SIX  hundred  and  forty-one,  above  the  Atlantic  ocean 
at  high  tide.* 

On  turning  Poin  c  de  Tour,  a  few  miles  beyond  San- 
dy nver,  we  have  the  first  glimpse  of  the  mountains 
on  the  north  side  of  the  lake,  which  are  distant 
probably  forty  miles.     These  become  more  distinct, 
and  continue  to  increase   in  apparent  altitude  as 
we  ascend  the  Fond  du  Lac,  while  on  ihe  south  shore 
the  highlands  either  recede  so  widely  from  the  lake 
as  to  become  invisible,  or  entirely  cease.  On  reach- 
ing the  mouth  of  St.  Louis,  or  Fond  du  Lac  river, 
the  Cabotiant  mountains  present  a  lofty  barrier  to- 
wards the  north,  and  have  an  apparent  altitude  of  a 
thousand  feet  above  the  lake.     The  chain  runs  from 

*  ELEVATION  OF  THE  AMERICAN  LAKES. 

Level  of  Lake  Erie  above  the  tide  waters  of  the    *^**'*     ^°'"  *^"'' 
Hudson,  (as  surveyed  hy  the  N.  Y.  Canal  Cora- 
miss  ioners, 

Lake  St.  Clair,  (see  eslimafc  in  chapter  2.) 

Lake  Huron,  (see  estimate  in  chapter  2.) 

Mean  fall  of  the  river  St.  Mary,  between  De  Tour 
and  Point  Iroquois,  sixty  nnles,  at  three  inches 
per  m  le,  Crapids  not  included) 

Nibish  rapid, 

Sugar  Island  rapid 

Sanit  de  St.  Mario,  (acpording  to  Col.  Gratiot,) 

Lake  Superior, 

t  Col.  Bouchelte,  in  his  Topographical  Description  of  the  Can- 
adas,  has  applied  the  nan>e  Cabotia.  (in  allusion  to  Christian 
Cabot,  the  discovenr,)  to  all  tUt  part  of  North  America  Iving 
north  of  the  Great  Lakes.  ^ 


50) 
10 
19 


570 
589 


641 


201 

e^t  to  wes^and  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  stretche. 
off  in  a  lofty  hne  towards  the  Mississippi.  It  is  this 
barner  wh.ch  we  have  to  cross  with  Zr  b.^ 
and  canoes  .n  ascending  the  St.  Loois  river,  for  this 
prec.p,t„„s  stream  has  worn  its  rugged  channel 
trough  these  n.o«„tains,  and  throws  i^lfinto  Lake 
Superior  at  its  extreme  head.    The  mouth  of  this 
river  is  not  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
wide  but  immediately  on  entering,  i,  expJIdfla 
mile,  and  continues  this  width  for  five  or  six  miles 
and  this  part  of  it  resembles  a  lake  more  tTan  a  S 
ver,  having  little  or  no  current,-.haUowln  manJ 
places,  and  filled  with  aquatic  plants.    Wet^rJ 
first  saw  in  plenty  the  folic  avoine,  or  wild  ric7 
.vhich  IS  so  common  throughout  the  northwestern 
regions^  and  serves  the  Indians  as  asubstitwe  f™ 
corn   We  had  previously  noticed  this  plant  in  small 
patches,  in  passing  through  the  river  St.  Mary   and 
along  he  shoresofa  fewof the  tributaiy  riversrfLkf 
Supe„or,_but  t  is  i„  „„  p,ace  seen  alongThe  shfr^ 
of  the  lake  itself.   Neither  does  that  lake  affoM  aZ 
of  the  water  grasses,  rushes,  or  liliaceous  plants  com 
mon  to  most  of  the  lakes  and  ponds  of  the  „oZ" 
Naturahs  s  do  not  seem  agreed  as  to  the  charate^ 
of  this  plant,    and  a  discrepancy  appears  r,h! 
botanica    nomenclature.    Linnasus  has  arranged  i! 

name  of  Zezanm  Jgualica.  Micheaux  and  Eaton 
denominate  it  Zezmia  Clavubm.  The  Linntean  nJ^ 
is  the  most  characteristic.  Other  nai^s  h!ve  bZ 
given  by  different  botanists,  but  few  in  fact  have  en! 
joyed  he  opportunity  of  examining  the  plant  bTa 
nalural  situation,  and  it  is  not  even  settled  whler 
the  fruit  is  annually  produced  "  ™einer 


26 


'f! 


1202 

fcamc  root  continues  to  gcrminalc  for  many  years. 
Tiirro  can  be  no  doubt,  ns  I'ursh  \m»  suggoHlod,  ihat 
it  is  a  perennial  plant.  It  ripens  about  the  first  oi  Sep- 
tember, when  the  Indiana  gatlier  it  by  pushing  their 
canoes  into  the  thiokest  fioIdH  of  it, — breaknigdown 
the  tops  of  (he  stalks,  and  beating  out  the  grain  with 
their  paddles,  which  falls  upon  a  spread  blanket  in 
their  ca»)ocs.  This  is  a  labour  which  is  performed 
by  the  squaws.  A  great  deal  of  chalf  falls  in  with 
the  grain,  which  is  afterwards  partially  fanned  out 
upon  a  blanket,  but  it  is  never  got  entirel^r  clean. 
The  grain  has  a  lung  cylindrical  shape,  and  becomes 
dark  coloured  and  hard  sjs  it  dries.  It  contanis 
more  gluten  than  common  rice,  and  is  very  nourish- 
ing. It  is  simply  boiled  in  water  until  it  assumes  a 
pasty  consistence,  and  it  has  an  agreeable  flavour. 
The  Indians  have  no  salt,  but  make  use  of  maple 
sugiu-,  when  in  season.  They  have  no  method  of 
reducing  it  into  meal,  but  the  squaws  sometimes,  in 
cases  of  si<'kness,  pound  small  (juantilies  in  a  deer- 
skin bag,  and  thus  procure  a  kind  of  ilour  of  which 
panada  is  made. 

Three  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Louis  ri- 
ver, there  is  a  village  of  Chippeway  Indians,  of  four- 
teen lodges,  and  containing  a  population  of  about 
sixty  souls.  Among  these  we  noticed  a  negro  who 
has  been  long  in  the  service  of  tiie  fur  company,  and 
who  married  a  squaw,  by  whom  he  has  four  children. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  children  are  as  black 
as  the  father,  and  have  the  curled  hair  and  glossy 
skin  of  the  native  African.  It  does  not  appear  that 
climalc  has  had  any  more  influence  here,  than  it  has 
along  the  borders  of  the  Atlantic,  in  ameliorating 
the  colour  of  this  race.  But  this  evidence  is  certain- 


i\-    ii 


209 

Ijr  not  wanted  in  the  present  state  of  physical  and 
philosophical  science,  to  establish  the  fact  that  the 
radical  colours  of  the  dilFerent  species  of  the  hu- 
man  fan.ily,  are  independent  of  the  influence  of 
climate. 

A  short  distance  above  this  village,  on  the  oppo. 
•iteside  of  the  river,  are  the  ruins  of  one  of  the  old 
lortH  and  trading  houses  of  tjic  northwest  company, 
which  was  abandoned  about  six  years  ago.     The 
iite  IS  elevated  and  pleasant,  but  the  American  com. 
pany  have  not  thought  proper  to  re-occupy  it,  and 
Ijave  fixed  their  establishment  for  the  Fond  du  Lac 
deparlment,  eighteen  miles  above,  where  the  first 
portage  commences.     By  this  change  of  site,  they 
save  the  labour  of  loadi.ig  and  unloading  their  ca- 
noes at  the  mouth  of  the  river.     We  arrived  at  the 
company's  house  at  seven  o'clock  in  tho  evening. 
Ihe  establishment  consists  of  a  range  of  log  build- 
mgs,  inclosing  three  sides  of  a  square,  open  toward 
the  river  and  containing  the  ware-house,  canoe,  and 
boat  yard,  dwelling  house  of  the  resident  clerk,  and 
accommodations  for  the  voyageurs.  There  are  about 
lour  acres  of  ground  under  cultivation,  upon  which 
potatoes  are  raised.     No  species  of  grain  has  been 
tried     The  tlepartment  is  supplied  with  wild  rice 
by  the  Indians.     The  buildings  are  situated  upon  an 
alluvial  plain  elevated  a  few  feet  above  the  river 
and  the  site  is  healthy  and  pleasant.     We  here  see' 
pines  and  sugar  maple  growing  beside  each  other, 
—which  IS,  I  believe,  a  rare  occurrence.     The  com- 
pany have  recently  sent  up  a  number  of  agricultural 
implements  with  a  view  of  experimenting  upon  the 
80,1  and  climate,   together  with  three  horses,  two 
oxen,  three  cows,  and  four  bull..     These  animals 
Uave  been  transported  with  great  difficulty. 


m 


204 

The  weather,  sinee  leaving  the  Ontonagon,  has 
been  variable.  We  have  had  rain  a  part  of  two 
(?«.T8,  and  it  has  been  misty,  cloudy  or  stormy,  the  ba- 
lance of  the  time,  with  the  exception  of  a  part  of 
the  second  of  July,  and  the  morning  of  this  day. 
The  highest  atmospheric  heat  during  this  time  has 
been  80%  and  the  average  heat  64'.  The  wind  has 
blown  successively  N.  N.  W.—W.  S.  W.— S.  S.  W. 
and  N.  E.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  water  of 
Lake  Superior  has  been  6l'*  The  following  are 
the  stationary  distances  of  the  route. 

From  the  Ontonagon  to  Iron  River,  15 

Carp  River,  and  the  Porcupine  Mountains,  1 5 

Presque  Isle  Hirer,  g 

Black  River,  g 

Montreal  River,  jl 

La  Mauv&ise  Riviere,  (Bad  River,)  12 

Point  Chegoimegon,  g 

Cadotte's  House,  (Island  of  St.  Michael,)  s 

Fromboise,  (Raspberry,)  River,  1 5 

Sandy  River,  5 

De  Tour  (foot  of  Fond  du  Lac,^  3 

Cranberry  Creek,  30 

Bois  Brulfi  (Burntwood)  River,  15 

Mouth  of  St.  Louis  River,  or  (Fond  du  Lac,)  2 1 

Chippeway  village,  3 

American  Fur  Company's  Establishment,  18 

•  Mettorologicai  Obtervations  on  the  journey  fromihe  Ontonagon  to 

tlu  Fond  du  Tmc 


Tot.  MilM. 

SO 

36 

42 

63 

75 
-81 

84 

9U 
105 
108 
138 
L'iS 
174 
177 
195 


Ju- 
ly 1 

0 

__3 
4 
5 

AIR. 

WAIKK. 

f 

64 
64 
60 

a. 
i.ri 

1=8 

(>7 

68 

65 

58 

if 

1 

A.  M.         1     P.  M. 

A.  M.|     F.  M. 

4 
54 

60 

6 

7 

8 
61 
70 

63 

10 

fs 

75 

2 
75 
76 

68 

3 

4 
65 
58 

6 

68 

62 

9 
54 

4 
63 

6 

62 

8 
6i 

1)4 

58 
63 

•2 
65 
68 

3 
60 

6    9 

!>6 

62 
58 

isw 

S8W 

Miaty. 

'leap. 

Rain. 

64 

58 

Mistv. 
Calm. 

63  1 

309* 

6A 

NK 

VTttn 

3M                          ■"  j 
84."  Air.                      1 

•" 

"""" 

I 

CHAPTER  V«l. 


J  O  U  EJV  E  Yy 


rnOM  THE  FOA'J)  LU  LAC  TO  SJJ\rjDr  LAKF., 


►»i 


I 


XLIV.  Day.— (/«/y  GM.) 

If  E  left  the  establishment  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  The  river  is  ascended  two  miles  further, 
to  the  foot  of  the  Grand  Portage.  Here  the  goods 
are  all  landed,  and  the  carrying  commences,  but  the 
canoes,  without  load,  ascend  two  miles  higher  to 
the  Galley,  where  they  are  also  taken  out  and  car- 
ried  across.  The  first  part  of  the  portage  is  excess- 
ively rough,  and  the  fatigue  was  rendered  almost  in- 
supportable by  the  heat  of  the  day,  the  thermometer 
standing  at  82°  at  noon.  With  the  assistance  of  the 
Indians,  (sixteen  of  whom  were  brought  up  from  the 
mouth  of  the  river  for  that  purpose,)  we  proceeded 
however,  with  all  our  baggage,  five  pauses,  and  en- 
camped  at  twilight. 

XLV.  Dav.— (/m/^  7M.)— a  storm  of  rajn  commcn- 
ced  during  the  night,  and  continued  until  noon,  when 
the  sun  appeared  for  half  an  hour,  but  the  afternoon 
continued  dark  and  cloudy,  with  showers.      We 


206 

commcnml  carrying  nt  six  o'clock,  notwithsiBnainir 
thv  ran.,  «,ul  with  great   cxcrtionH,  wont  ten  pannes 
arul  encamped  on  the  hanks  of  a  small  brook.     The 
d.d.culties  of  the  portage  have  been  verv  much  in- 
creased  bj.  the  rain,   which  has  filled  the  carryir.g 
pn  h  w.th  mnd  and  water.     We  arc  advancing  into 
a  <  reary   region.-Kvery  thing  around  us  wears  a 
V.  d  and  sterde  aspect,  and  theeitreme  ruggedness 
oh  ,e  c«untry~thc  succession  of  swampy  grounds, 
and  rocky   prccipices-lhe  dark  forest  of  hemlock 
and  pnies  which  overshadow   the  soil~and  the  dis- 
tant  roarn.gofthe   river,  would  render  it  a  gloomy 
n.ul  <l,sm«l  scene,  without  the  toil  „f  transporting 
baggage,  and  the  saddening  influence  of  one  oi  the 
most  dreary  days. 

Xr.Vr.   r)Av.-(j;,/y   M.)~Wc    progressed  four 
pauses,  and   reached   the  river  at  the  head  of  the 
portage,  n.  season  to  air  our  baggage-repair  the 
canoes-and  make  the  necessary  ilispositions  for  an 
early  departure  on  the  following  day.      The  entire 
d.Hlance  o(  tins  portage  is  nine  miles,  which  is  pass- 
cd  at  nn.eteen  pauses,  divided  according  to  the  un- 
evenness  of  the  g.  ound,and  the  facilities  oltravellinff. 
I  Imve  already  n.entioned  that  a  pause  is  reckoned 
at  hall  a  mde,  but  when  the  country  is  rough  and  the 
^■ay  bad,  .t  .s  much  shorter,  while  on  a  level  road,  it 
oaen  exceeds  that  distance.     The  labour,  however, 
of  ravelhng  across  a  short  pause  is  as  great  as  that 
ol  the  longest,  and  about  the  same  time  is  required 
in  crossnig  it,  so  that  this  term  israther  expressive 
of  a  d.v,..onol  the  labour  of  making  a  portage,  than 
ot   the  geographical  distance.      The  fall  of  the  St 
Louis  river,  between  the  extremes  ol  this  portage  is' 


207 

very  great,  being  one  continued  chain  of  rapids  and 
falla,  and  at  one  jiiacc  there  ib  a  perpendicular  pitch 
of  thirty'  feet.     Altogether,  the  descent  may  be  esti- 
matcd  at  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet.     It  is  here 
that  the  river  forces  a  passage  through  a  chain  of 
mountains  consisting  of  short  broken  ridges,  which 
give  the  country  a  very  rugged  appearance,  and 
render  the  travelling  excessively  toilsome.    Where 
we  leave  the  river  at  the  foot  of  the  portage,  these 
ridges  consist  of  red  sand  stone  rocks  in  horizontal 
layers,  but  on  reaching  the  head  of  the  portage,  we 
find  the  banks  of  the  river  composed  of  slate,  (argil- 
iite,yin  a  vertical  position,    traversed  by   veins  of 
greenstone  and  milky  quartz.      The  change  in  the 
rock  strata  takes  pince  at  some  intermediate  point, 
which  was  not  precisely  noticed.     At  the  foot  of  the 
portage  1  picked  up  among  the  loose  stones  along  the 
shore,  a  specimen  of  the  micaceous  oxide  of  iron, 
and  some  pyrites  were  also    found  at  that  place. 
While  examining  the  argillile  above,  I  discovered  a 
ve«r.  of  graphite  (plumbago  or  blacklead)  between 
Ine  vertical  layers  of  that  rock,  but  of  an  indifferent 
quality  for  economical  purposes.     Probably  the  in- 
-  of  the  vein  would  yield  this  mineral  in  a  more 
•t  form.     Large  detached  blocks  of  black  crys- 
.cu  hornblende  rock  are  found  scattered  along 
the  shore  of  the  river,  hut  tiiis  rock  is  not  observed 
in  situ.    A  stratum  ofaUuvial  soil,  of  two  or  three 
feet  in  depth  rests  upon  the  slate.     It  also  contains 
imbedded  masses  of  hornblende,  together  with  gra- 
nite,  quartz,  and  argillite,  and  a  thin  sub-stratum  of 
vegetable  mould  overlays  all.     The  growth  of  trees 
18  pu.e,  hemlock,  spruce,  birch,  oak,  and  maple,  the 
former  predominatiiig.      in  clambering  among  the 


,  '/V 


208 

rocks  along  the  river,  I  found  the  red  raspberry  ripe. 
This  appears  to  be  the  common  rubus  strigosus, 
with  a  thornless  stem,— berries  a  scarlet  red,  very 
8vveet,-.acine8  slightly  adhering.  Where  depres- 
wons  exist  in  the  surface  of  the  soil,  so  that  it  re- 
mama  wet  and  marshy,  the  tamarack  is  found,  and 
the  white  cedar  is  seen  overhanging  the  cliffs  on  the 
banks  of  the  river,  and  adds  very  much  to  the  pic, 
turesque  appearance  of  the  St.  Louis  at  this  place, 

XLVII.  DAY.--(/tt/y  M.)— On  reaching  the  foot 
ot  the  Grand  Portage,  we  exchanged  two  of  our  larg- 
est canoes  with  the  American  Fur  Company,  for 
four  of  smaller  size  adapted  to  the  navigation  of  the 
river  above  the  portage,  and  now  proceeded  on 
our  voyage  in  seven  small  canoes.      The  river  is  as- 
cended six  miles  to  the  Portage  aux  Coteaux,  which 
consists  of  three  pauses,  and  is  a  mile  and  a  half 
across.      The  carrying  path  lies  over  an  elevated 
tract  of  rough  country  consisting  of  slate  in  a  verti- 
cs.!  position,  which  is  in  many  places  naked,  and 
some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  singular  appear- 
ance of  the  rock,  by  comparing  it  to  the  leaves  of* 
book  standing  edgewise.    The  effect  of  this  arrange- 
ment of  the  strata,  upon  the  mockasins  and  feet  of 
the  voyageurs,  who  cross  this  portage  has  led  to  its 
name— /Ac  portage  of  knives.      At  the  lower  end  of 
It,  this  slate  forms  a  lone  standing  pile,  or  pyramid,  in 
the  centre  of  the  river,  of  eighty  or  ninety  feet  in 
height,  and  supporting  in  its  crevices  a  kw  stunted 
cedars  and  pines.     The  banks  on  either  side  are 
fcomparatively  low  at  the  water's  edge,  but  preserve 
the  same  geological  character  and  position,  and  at  a 
short  distance  back,  rise  to  a  corresponding  cleva- 


209 


tion.    It  appears  evident  that  the  river  has  here  rent 

and  worn  a  passage  through  the  rock,  as  it  must  have 

done  at  innumerable  other  places,  in  its  rapid  and 

rugged  course.    The  growth  of  trees  here  is  almost 

exclusively  cedar,  pine,  and  spruce.     We  encamp- 

ed  at  the  head  of  the  portage  at  an  early  hour  in  the 

afternoon.     Here  the  river  has  a  perpendicular  fall 

of  fourteen  feet    At  the  foot  of  it  there  is  a  vein  of 

chlorite  slate,  about  two  hundred  yards  below  the 

fall  on  the  west  shore.    At  this  place  we  also  found 

the  red  raspberry.     A  tall  elm  which  overshadows 

the  little  green  which  has  been  formed  on  the  bank 

of  the  river,  at  the  head  of  the  portage,  in  connexion 

with  the   fall  and  surrounding   woods  and  rockfii, 

throws  an  air  of  rural  beauty  over  this  sccne-^ 

'«  So  wond'rous  wild,  the  whole  might  seem 
"  The  scenery  of  a  fairy  dream." 

XLVIII.  DAY.~(/Mi[y  10/A.)— The  difficulties  at- 
tending our  ascent  of  the  St.  Louis  river,  induced 
the  Governor  to  determine  on  detaching  a  part  of 
the  expedition  across  the  country  by  land,  to  Sandy 
Lake,  whenever  we  should   arrive  at  an  eligible 
spot.  For  this  purpose  two  Chippeway  guides,  ol'the 
Fond  du  Lac  band,  had  been  brought  along  from  the 
head  of  the  Grand  Portage,  and  this  was  the  place 
chosen  for  the  separation.    The  party  thus  detaclicd, 
consisted  of  eight  soldiers  under  the  command  of 
Lieut.  Mackay,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Doty,  Mr.  Trow- 
bridge, Mr.  Chase,  and  myself;  together  with  an  in- 
terpreter of  the  Chippeway  language,  and  the  two 
Indian  guides—sixteen  in  all.     The  route  was  repre- 
sented as  capable  of  being  jierformed  in  two  day's 


li 


t  -,'i 


27 


2!0 

jonrnoy,  if  no  accident  occurred.    Wo  left  the  cnmp 
at  the  head  of  the  portage  at  G  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, each   carrying  a  pack   containing  five  day's 
provisions,  a  knife,  a  miisquitoe  bar,  and  a  cloak 
or  hianket.      Several  were  armed,   but  others  left 
their  guns,  as  it  tvas  thought  we  should  see  little 
game,  and  they  would  be  cumbersome  in  travelling. 
Our  guides  taking  their  course  by  the  sun,  immedi- 
ately struck  into  a  close   matted   forest  of  pine  and 
hemlock,  through  which  we  urged  our  way  with  some 
difficulty.      On  travelling  two  miles  we  fell  into  an 
Indian  path,  leading  in  the  re<pjired  direction,  which 
we  followed  until  it  became  lost  in  swamps.      After 
pursuing  it  two  miles,  we  passed  through  a  succes- 
sion of  ponds  and  marshes,  where  the  mud  and  water 
were  in  some  places  half  leg  deep.     These  marshes 
coiitmued  four  ujiles,  and  were  succeeded  by  a  strip 
of  three  miles  of  open  dry   sandy  barren,  covered 
with   shrubbery,  and  occasionally  clumps  of  pitch 
piles.      This   terminated   in  a  thick  forest  of  hem- 
lock and  spruce,  of  a  young  growth,  which  continu- 
ed  two  n.ilesand  brought  us  to  the  banks  of  a  small 
lake,  with  clear  water  and  a  pebbly  shore.     Having 
no  canoe  to  cross,  we  took  a  circuitous  route  around 
its  southern  sljore,  through  thick  woods  and  swamps, 
where  the  difficulty  of  travelling  was  very  much  in- 
creased, by  fallen   trees  and  brush.      In  order  to 
avflid   these  difficulties,  on  approaching  the  head 
of  this    lake,  we  walked   along  the  shore  of  it  and 
occasionally    in   the  water,   and   hero  we   picked 
up  several  beautiful  specimens  of  agate  and  carnelian. 
We  now  again  fell  into  the  Indian  path  which  led  us 
to  two  sm  dl  lakes,  similar  in  size  to  the  Carnelian 
lake,  but  with  marshy  shores,  und  reddish  water,  and 


211 

filled  with  pond  flowers,  rushes,  nnd  folio  avoine.  At 
the«econd  hike  the  path  ceased  at  the  water's edf^c, 
and  our  guides  could  not  afterwardB  find  it.  Here 
Ihey  found  a  large  green  tortoise,  which  they  killed 
in  a  very  itigeniouB  and  eflectual  way,  by  a  blow  with 
a  hatchet  upon  the  neck,  at  the  point  where  the  un- 
der part  of  the  shell  serves  as  a  sheath  to  it.  I  hud 
never  before  seen  the  tortoise  killed  in  so  expeditious 
a  manner:  it  was  carried  along  to  be  eaten  at  night. 
They  here  appeared  to  be  in  doubt  about  the  way. 
We  now  entered  the  great  tamarack  swamp,  in  which 
we  progressed  about  eight  miles,  and  encamped  at  5 
o'clock  near  the  shore  of  the  third  lake,  having  tra- 
velled eleven  hours,  and  passed  a  distance  of  about 
twenty  miles.  The  weather  in  the  morning  was 
cloudy,  and  rain  commenced  about  seven  o'clock, 
and  continued  at  intervals  all  day.  The  thermome- 
ter at  6  A.  M.  stood  at  53°,— -at  12  A.  M.  at  72",  and 
at  6  P.  M.  51°.  The  sun  was  not  visible  during  the 
day.  The  principal  forest  trees  are  tamarack  (jainus 
penilula,)  yellow  pine,  cedar,  spruce,  and  birch.  The 
winter  green  has  been  common  on  the  pine  bar- 
rens, the  sarsaparilla  {aralia  nundicauhs)  in  the  for- 
ests. 


II 


hi 


XLIX.  Day. — (Juli/  l\ih.) — On  quitting  our  en- 
campment this  morning,  the  Indians  leA  a  memorial 
of  our  journey  inscribed  upon  bark,  for  the  informa- 
tion of  such  of  their  tribe  an  should  happen  to  fall  up> 
on  our  track.  This  we  find  to  be  a  common  cus- 
tom among  them.  It  is  done  by  tracing,  either  with 
paint  or  with  their  knives  upon  birch  bark,  (belula 
papymcea)  a  number  of  figures  and  hieroglyphics 
which  are  understood  by  their  nation.    This  sheet 


212 

of  bark  is  afterwards  insertea  in  the  enjj  of  a  pole 

c.na..on  towards  the  course  of  travelling.  |„  ,he 
present  instance  the  whole  party  were  represented 
.n  a  manner  that  was  perfecUy  intelligible,'^^'  h    he 

bv  sfr,;:-"'"'';? '• '"'"  ""^  "-"g  cha'raCeLtd 
bj  something  en,blen,atic  of  his  situation  or  employ. 

In  K  ^'"'^•''^""g'"^''  'he  Indian  from  the  whife 
™a„,  by  the  parfcular  manner  of  drawing  the  figure! 
the  former  being  without  a  hat,  &c.  Other  distinctive 
symbols  are  employed,  thus-Lieut.  Mackay  wa  fi! 
gured  w,th  a  sword  to  signify  that  he  was  ,^0^" 

sTot  r.h  f  r  """"  "  '""'^'  ""^  '"■'i''"'  having  under 
stood  that  he  was  an  attorney,_mvseIf  wiih  ,  h? 

myoelt  &c.   The  figure  ol  a  tortoise  and  prairyhen 

that  our  encampment  consisted  of  three  fires  _ 
e.ght  muskets,_tha.  this  was  the  number  arme, tl 
three  hacks  upon  the  polo,  leaning  N.  W  that  we 

man  w  th  a  tongue  near  his  mouth,  (like  ihe  Aztecfc 

"crog lyplnos)  that  hewas  an  interpreter.&c.  Shtuld 

an  Ind,a,.  hereafter  visit  this  spot,  he  would  ,W 

fore  read  upon  this  memorial  of  bark,-that  foir 

eon  whae  men  and  two  Indians  encamped  at  tint 

l.ors,-lhat  they  weregomg  to  Sandy  Lake,  (know- 
ng  three  days  journey  N.  W.  must  carry  us  there^I 

Iha'  we  'r7uTf  "'"^  "'»''"  S™»-  and  a  sword  _ 
that  we  had  kdlcd  a  tortoise,  a  prairy  ben,  &c     I 

Um  of  mtclbgence  among  the  northern  Indians.    All 


213 

the  travellers  of  the  region,  are  silent  on  the  subject 
I  had  before  witnessed  the  facility  with  which  one 
of  the  lake  Indians  had  drawn  a  map  of  certain  parts 
of  the  southern  coast  of  Lake  Superior,  but  here  was 
a  histoncal  record  of  passing  events,  as  permanent 
certainly  as  any  written  record  among  us,  and  full 
-.nelhgible  to  those  for  whom  it  w'as  imendeJ! 
win    ^"'•.^"*;,^'"P"^»t  at  seven  o'clock,  and  after 
travelling  mne  hours  in  the  Tamarack  swamp,  en- 
camped,  having  progressed  by  estimation,  14  miles. 
Th.s  has  been   the  most    fatiguing  days  journey 
onthe  tour,  and  several  of  our  party  lay  down  at 
night  in  a  complete  state   of  exhaustion.      Even 
our  Indian  guides  demanded  a  halt.     All  that  could 
render  travelling  tiresome  and  perplexing,  has  been 

encountered-swamps-mud-bog-windfalls-stag. 
nant  water-the  want  of  spots  sufficiently  dry  to  sit 
down  upon-and  of  water  that  could  be  drank,  have 
successiveb'  opposed  our  progress,  and  enhanced  the 
labour  of  the  journey.  To  increase  these  perplexi- 
ties,  our  guides  seemed  uncertain  of  their  way,  and 

^v  thout  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  we  approach- 
ed  nearer  to  the  place  we  were  in  search  of    While 
oihngour  way  through  this  dreary  and  inhospitable 
region,  the  remark  of  the  Baron  La  Hontan,  respect! 
ing  the  northwestern  region  of  Canada,  that  it  is  "the 
fag  end  of  the  world,"  came  forcibly  to  mind.    It  was 
probably  by  reverting,  under  similar  circumstances 
tothesmding  regions  of  the  south  of  France,  his 
na.ve  country,  that  the  Baron  was  induced  to  throw 
out  this  geographical  anathema.     Without  applying 
the  remark  to  the  whole  region  of  the  northwesU 
or  presuming  to  say,  that  this  particular  section  of  it 


214 


is  indicated  bj  the  lowest  degree  in  the  scale  of  coun- 
tries geologically  cursed,  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  it  is  subject  to  the  influence  of  a  winter  atmos- 
phere for  nine  months  in  the  year,  and  that  it  can 
never  be  rendered  subservient  to  the  purposes  of 
agriculture,  or  traversed  by  roads.  Even  ihe  Indians 
never  visit  it  except  during  the  winter  season  upon 
the  ice,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  marten,  beaver, 
and  muskrat.  The  dreadful  storms  which  prevail 
here  at  certain  seasons,  are  indicated  by  the  prostra- 
tion of  entire  forests,  and  the  up-rooting  of  the  firm- 
est trees.  These  lie  invariably  pointing  towards  the 
southeast,  indicating  the  strongest  winds  to  prevail 
from  the  opposite  point.  It  is  one  of  the  most  fatigu- 
ing labours  of  the  route,  to  cross  these  immense 
windfalls, — the  trees  are  chiefly  tamarack,  spruce, 
cedar,  ash,  white  birch,  and  hemlock.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  we  have  crossed  a  turbid  stream  running 
tow  ards  the  south,  called  Meek  Scebe  (kettle  river,) 
which  is  tributary  to  the  Missisawgaiegon  which  en- 
ters the  Mississippi,  a  short  distance  above  the  falls 
of  St.  Anthony,  alter  having  passed  in  the  intermedi- 
ate distance  through  the  Great  Spirit  Lake. 


L.  Day. — (July  1 2//i.)--The  dampness  of  the  ground 
upon  which  we  lay,  and  the  torment  of  the  musqui- 
toes,  gave  us  little  rest.  We  commenced  our  march 
at  five  o'clock,  and  after  travelling  twelve  hours  pas- 
sed out  of  the  great  swamp,  and  encamped  upon  the 
banks  of  a  small  stream  called  Buflfaloe  creek,  which 
is  tributary  to  Sandy  Lake.  Here  our  guides  came 
to  a  country  which  the)*  recognised,  and  by  their  re- 
iterated shouts  convinced  us  tliat  they  were  no  less 
overjoyed  than  ourselves  u^^on  this  discovery.    In  a 


215 


f  of coun- 
jmark^d, 
r  atmos- 
at  it  cad 
[•poses  of 
s  Indians 
son  upon 
,  beaver, 
1  prevail 

prostra- 
the  firm- 
'ards  the 
)  prevail 
st  fatigu- 
itnmense 
,  spruce, 
e  course 

running 
e  river,) 
hich  eii- 
thc  falls 
termcdi- 


3  ground 
musqui- 
ir  march 
mrs  pas- 
jpon  the 
k,  which 
es  came 
heir  re- 
!  no  less 
y.    In  a 


short  time  they  pointed  out  to  us  hacked  trees  and 
bushes  where  they  had  formerly  passed,  which  en- 
tirely restored  our  lost  confidence,  and  before  night 
we  fell  into  an  Indian  trail  which  they  followed  with 
as  much  apparent  facility  and  confidence  as  an  Amer- 
ican traveller  would  a  turnpike  road,  although  we 
could  seldom  distinguish  the  marksandsigns  by  which 
they  were  guided.  We  compute  this  day's  journey  at 
20  miles.  In  crossing  the  swamp  we  found  the  cran- 
berry  {oxycoccus  macrocarpus)  in  great  abundance. 
Upon  the  same  bog  were  to  be  seen  the  fruit  of  last 
year's  growth,  the  green  berries  of  the  present  sea- 
son, and  flowers  that  were  just  expanding.  The 
agreeable  taste  of  this  berry  was  a  grateful  treat,  at  a 
time  when  we  were  much  fatigued,  by  travelling  for 
many  miles  over  an  elastic  open  bog  where  no 
drink-water  could  be  procured, 

.  LI.  Day.— (/m/^  1 3/A.)— -We  were  aroused  between 
four  and  five  o'clock  by  a  shower  of  rain,  and  after 
talking  our  customary  breakfast  of  dried  beef  and 
biscuit,  pursued  the  Indian  trail  towards  Sandy 
Lake,  which  we  reached  after  travelling  fourteen 
miles,  at  12  o'clock.  Our  path  after  leaving  the 
swamps  lay  across  a  succession  of  sandy  ridges,  co- 
vered with  white  and  yellow  pine,  with  some  poplar 
and  thickets  cf  underbrush  in  the  valleys,  and  alto- 
gether, of  a  bai-ren  appearance.  In  crossing  these  I 
noticed  among  the  shrubbery  the  witch  hazel,  sarsa- 
parilla,  wild  cherry,  kinnikinick,  and  the  Labrador 
tea  plant,  {ledum  latifolium  of  Pursh.)  Imbedded  in  the 
sandy  alluvion  of  these  ridges  are  found  scattered 
masses  of  hornblende,  granite,  argillite,  sand  stone, 
milky  and  red  ferruginous  quartz,  jasper,  and  carneli- 


216 


KHli 

! 

Hi 

f 

'II 

mm 

m 

an.    The  largest  masses  consist  of  granite  and  horot? 

blende.   The  carnelian  is  in  small  fragments  of  a  red 

colour,  sometimes  clouded  or  striped  with  white 

or  pale  yellow.     The  blue  jay,  and  brown  thresher] 

the  pigeon  and  turtle  dove  occasionally  appeared  in 

the  forest,  to  enliven  this  part  of  the  journey.     On 

approaching  the  lake  we  ascended  a  lofty  pine  ridge, 

which  forms  its  southern  barrier,  and  commands  one 

of  the  most  charming  views  of  this   romantic  little 

lake,  which  suddenly  rose  to  our  impatient  sight 

like  a  "  burnished  sheet  of  living  gold"  that  gleam. 

ing  with  the  declining  sun — 

«*  In  ail  her  length  far  winding  lay 
♦'  With  promontory,  creelt,  and  bay  ; 
**  And  i^ands  that  empurpled  bright 
"  Floated  amid  the  livelier  light ; 
"  And  mountains  that  like  giants  stand 
"  To  sentinel  enchanted  land.''— Scott. 

The  Indian  name  for  this  lake  is  Kom-tonsr-gog-o- 
mog.—the  Canadians  call  it  Lacdu  Sable  :  both  are 
significant  of  its  sandy  shores.     It  is  about  five  miles 
long,  by  four  in  breadth,  and  twelve  in  circumfer- 
ence,—of  a  very  irregular  shape,  with  innumerable 
islands,— bays,— and  points,  some  of  which  project  into 
it  half  its  width.      Strewed  along  its  shores,  we  find 
detached  fragments  of  granite,  and  other  rocks,  to- 
gether with  carnelian,  agate,  jasper,  and  hornstonc. 
The  adjoining  lands  are  hilly  and  covered  with  pine. 
The  islands  are  characterized  by  oak.    It  has  an  out- 
let by  which,  at  the  distance  of  two  miles,  it  commu- 
nicates with  the  Mississippi  river.    On  this  lake  the 
American    Fur  Company  have  an    establishment, 
which  we  in  vain  endeavoured  to  descry  on  first 


\m\ 


217 

reaching  the  eminence  that  overlooked  it.    We  car- 
ried a  letter  to  the  clerks  from  the  agent  of  the  es- 
tablishment, Mr.  Morrison,  whom  we  met,  on  our 
passage  through  Lake  Superior,  on  his  annual  return 
to  Michilimackinac,  and  were  informed  that  a  gun 
fired  upon  any  part  of  it  could  be  heard  at  the 
fort,  (as  it  is  called.)    Our  first  care,  therefore,  on 
reaching  the  shore,  was  to  fire  a  volley  of  musketry, 
to  advertise  them  of  our  approach,  and  procure  a 
boat  to  take  us  across.    As  it  seemed  to  produce  no 
effect  the  signal  was  reiterated,  and  at  last  two  men 
were  descried  in  a  canoe,  cautiously  approaching. 
They  appeared  to  be  in   doubt  whether  we  were 
white  men  or  Indians,— fi. ends  orfoe8,-.but  we  soon 
convinced  them  by  parading  our  soldiers  upon  the 
beach,  and  by  signals,  that  we  were  Americans  and 
friends.    On  reaching  us  they  proved  to  be  the  two 
clerks  of  the  company's  establishment,  to  whom  ^e 
carried  an  introductory  letter.    They  were  not  less 
surprised  at  our  appearance,  than   we  overjoyed 
at  theirs,  and  while  passing  across  the  lake,  they  re- 
lated  the  singular  effect  which  our  firing  had  produ- 
ced at  their  establishment,  and  in  the  contiguous  In- 
dian village.  The  Indians  of  this  region  being  at  war 
with  the  Sioux,  had  mistaken  the  firing  for  an  attack 
of  that  nation  upon  some  part  of  their  tribe,  and  were 
thrown  intc^.the  utmost  consternation.     Some  of  the 
women  pretended  to  have  heard  the  war  whoop,  and 
all  were  unprepared,  totally,  for  such  an  encounter. 
The    possibility  of  its  being  a  straggling  party  of 
hunters,  had  occurred  to  them,  but  they  did  not  ven- 
ture to  reconnoitre  us  until  they  had  driven  off  their 
cattle  and  secured  them  in  the  woods,  and  made 
some  other  di8px)8itions  suggested  on  the  emergency. 

38 


218 

We  reached  the  fort  a  short  time  before  sunset. 
U  is  situated  on  a  sandy  point,  on  the  south  shore  of 
the  lake,  near  its  outlet,  and  consists  of  a  stockade 
one  hundred  feet  square,  with  bastions  at  the  south- 
east, and  northivest  angles,  pierced  for  musketry. 
The  pickets  are  of  pitch  pine,  thirteen  feet  above 
the  ground,  and  a  foe*  v  '^p,  a^u  pinned  together 
with  stout  plates  of  iv  ,e  wood.      There  are 

three  gates,  the  principal  ^ne  facing  the  north,  which 
ore  shut  whenever  liquor  is  dealt  out  to  the  Indians. 
The  stockHde  incloses  two  ranges  of  buildings  con- 
taining (he  provision  store,  uorkshop,  ware  house, 
rooms  for  the  clerks,  and  accommodations  for  the 
men.     On  (he  west  and  northwest  angles  of  the  fort 
there  are  four  acres  of  ground  inclosed  with  pickets, 
devoted  to  the  culture  of  potatoes.     No  garden  vege- 
tables, or  grain  are  attempted  to  be  raised.     This 
is  one  of  the  posts  visited  by  Lieut.  Pike,  in  1806, 
and  there  are  still  several  people  here  who  remem- 
ber that  visit.     It  was  then  occupied  by  the  North- 
west Company,  by  whom  it  was  first  erected  in  1794, 

Lll.  Day.— (./«/^  l4/A.)--.This  morning  we  em- 
barked, accompanied  by  one  of  the  clerks  of  the 
company's  establishment,  and  sixteen  Indians  of  the 
Sandy  Lake  band,  to  meet  the  expedition  on  the 
Savannah  Portage,  and  assist  in  carrying  the  bag- 
gage across.  On  going  a  league  we  landed  in  a  bay 
on  the  northeast  shore  of  the  lake,  and  proceeded 
along  an  old  trail,  leading  to  the  west  end  of  the  port- 
age, where  we  arrived  about  twelve  o'clock,  at  noon, 
and  to  our  surprise  found  a  part  of  the  baggage  al- 
ready there.  Governor  Cass,  and  some  of  the  gen- 
tlemen who  accompanied  him  from  the  Portage  aux 


219 

Coteaux,h=id  also  arrived,  and  in  the  course  of  an 
hour,  we  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  whole  party 
there,  but  it  was  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  before 
the  last  baggage  and  canoes  were  carried  over,  and 
it  was  then  concluded  to  encamp.     The  expedition 
after  our  departure  from  the  Portage  aux  Coteaux, 
on  the  tenth,  proceeded  up  the  St.  Louis  about  twen- 
ty miles  against  a  strong   current,  in  the  course  of 
which  they  ascended  the  Grand  Ra;.ids,  where  the 
river  was  estimated  to  have  a  fall  ol  i>0  feet,  in  six 
miles.— On  the  eleventh  they  proceeded  thirty-three 
miles,  and  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah 
river.— On  the  twelfth,    they  ascende  I   that   river 
to  within  two  miles  of  its  source,  and  there  loft^two 
of  the  canoes  which  had  been  procured  of  the  Ameri- 
can Fur  Company  .—On  the  thirteenth,  they  proceed- 
ed three  pauses  upon  the  portage.— These  three  paus- 
es were  a  perfect  quagmire,  in  which  the  men  often 
sank  half-thigh  deep  into  the   mud.— On  the  four- 
teenth, they  moved  ten  pauses  to  the  west  end  of  the 
portage,  where  we  rejoined  them  after  a  separation 
of  five  days.     The  geological  character  of  the  coun- 
try in  the  intermediate  distance,  is  considerably  dir 
versified.     Having  requested  Dr.  Wolcolt,  on  leavl 
ing  the  Portage  aux  Coteaux,  to  note  the  geological 
appearances  of  the  country,  he  obligingly  furnished 
me  with  the  following  observations : 

''July  10/A.— We  left  the  vertical  strata  of  slate, 
about  two  miles  above  the  head  of  the  Portage  aux 
Coteaux.  They  w^re  succeeded  by  rocks  of  horn- 
blende, whic.  continued  the  whole  distance  to  the 
head  of  the  Grand  Rapid.  These  rocks  were  only 
to  be  observed  in  the  bed  of  the  r  rer,  and  appeared 


220 

to  be  much  water-won,,  and  manifestly  out  of  place. 
Soon  after  we  left  the  Portage  aux  Coteaux,  the  hills 
receded  from  the  river,  and  its  banks  for  the  rest 
of  the  way  were  generally  low,-often  alluvial,-and 
always  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  birch,  elm, 
sugar  tree,  (acer  saccharinum,)  and  the  whole  tribe  of 
pines,  with  an  almost  impenetrable  thicket  of  under^ 
brush. 

"MfUlh—Tbe  appearances  of  thi.  daj  hare 
been  ,.m,lar,o  those  of  yesterday,  except  that  the 
country  bordering  the  river,  became  entirely  alluri- 
at,  and  the  poplar  became  the  predominating  growth 
while  the  evergreen  almost  entirely  disappeared. 
The  rocks  were  seldom  visible  except  upon  the  ra- 
P^s,  and  then  only  in  the  bed  of  the  riverVand  were 
entirebr  composed  of  hornblende  all  out  of  place,  and 
exhibiting  no  signs  of  stratification,  but  evidentiv 
thrown  confusedly  together  by  the  force  of  the t.! 

Y«/3, 12rt.-The  Savannah  river  is  about  twentv 
yards  broad  at  its  junction  with  the  St.  Louirb  U 
soon  narrows  to  about  half  the  breadth,  wWch  i't  re 
terns  until  ,t  forks  at  the  distance  of  twelve  mi  ee 
from  Its  mouth.    Its  whole  course  runs  though  „ 

reaching  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  but  geSv 
keeping  a  distance  of  about  twenty  rodsreThe^ 

tfftt  of  ,1  ""^7  "  *"  "■*"«>" P«"  covered  with 
^fts  of  willow  and  other  shrubs,  common  to  mar^b- 

Served  1  th  "^  f"  "'  "*  ""^^  "«°<""''<" 
cies  oTsil.  'lT"^'"S  -Jays,  except  Ibat  a  ype- 
wes  of  small  oak,  frequently  appears  among  it.    The 


fiat 


ri?er  becomes  so  narrow  towards  its  head,  that  it  is 
with  great  difficulty  canoes  can  make  their  way 
throjgh  its  windings;  and  the  portage  commences  a 
mile  or  two  from  its  source,  which  is  in  a  tamarack 
swamp." 

The  descent  of  the  St.  Louis  river  in  the  same  dis- 
tance,  according  to  the  estimate  kept  by  Dr.  Wol- 
cott,*  is  two  hundred  and  thirty  (eet.     The  length 
of  the  Savannah  portage  is  six  miles,  and  is  passed 
at  thirteen  pauses.  The  first  three  pauses  are  shock- 
ingly bad.  It  is  not  only  a  bed  of  mire,  but  thedifficul- 
ty  of  passing  it  is  greatly  increased  by  fallen   trees, 
limbs,  and  sharp  knots  of  the  pitch  pina,  in  some  places 
on  the  surface,  in  others  imbedded  one  or  two  feet 
below.     Where  there  are  hollows  or  depressions  in 
the  ground,  tall  coarse  grass,  brush,  and  pools  of 
stagnant  water  are  encountered.      Old  voyageura 
say,  that  this  part  of  the  portage  was  formerly  cov- 
ered with  a  heavy  bog,  or  a  kind  of  peat,  upon  whirh 
the  walking  was  very  good,  but  that  during  a  dry 
season,  it  accidentally  caught  fire  and  burnt  ov/r 
the  surface  of  the  earth  so  as  to  lower  its  level  t  vo 
or  three  ieet  when  it  became  mirey,  and  subject  to 


*From  the  head  of  the  Porlage  aux  Coleaux,  to 

the  Isle  aux  Plaie,  distance 
To  the  Isle  aux  Pins, 
To  the  head  of  said  Isle, 
To  the  foot  of  the  Grand  Rapid6, 
To  the  head  of  the  Grind  Rapid6, 
To  Glukife  Rapid6, 

To  ttje  head  of  ditto. 
To  Grosse  Roch6, 
To  Savannah  river, 
To  the  Portage, 


Miles. 


Feet. 


s 

:5 

6 

6 

X 

b 

5 

*■ 

2 

90 

6 

4 

i 

5 

21 

12  fi 

12 

7-2 

21 

18 

Total  fall  in 


SO  I 


2'^jn  K 


222 

inundation  from  the  Savannah  river.     The  countrj, 
after  passing  the  third  pause,  changes  in  a  short  dis- 
tance, from  a  marsh  to  a  region  of  sand  hiils  covered 
mostly  with  white  and  yellow  pine,  mtermixed  with 
aspen.    The  hills  are  short  and  conical,  with  a  mod- 
erate elevation.      In  some   places  they  are  drawn 
out  into  ridges,  but  these  ridges  cannot  be  observed 
to  run  in  any  unifo.m  course  ;  on  the  contrary  they 
are  confused  in  their  arrangement.      1  he  country 
has  a  general  rise  from  the  East  to  the  West  Savan- 
nah,  which  may  be  estimated  at  thirty  feet.     This  is 
the  dividing  ridge  between  the  waters  of  Lake  Su- 
perior, and  the  Mississippi  river.    Where  the  portage 
path  approaches  the  sources  of  the  West  Savannah 
there  is  a  descent  into  a  small  valley    covered  with 
rank  grass— without  forest  trees— and  here  and  there 
clumps  of  willows,  similar  to  those  on  the  East  Sa- 
vannah.     This  valley  is  skirted  with  a  thick  and 
brushy  growth  of  alder,  aspen,  hazel,  &c.     The  ad- 
joining hills   are  sandy,   covered  with   pine.     The 
stream  here  is  just  large  enough  to  swim  a  canoe, 
and  the  navigation  commences  within  a  mile  of  its 
source.     It  pursues  a  very  serpentine  course  to  S^n- 
dy  Lake,  in  a  general  direction  northwest,  and  has 
several  rapids.    The  thermometer  this  day  stood  at 
00°  at  noon. 


LIfl.  Day.— (./<,/„  15//i.)— At  five  o'clock  in  the 
mornm,  we  commenced  our  descent.  The  water 
being  very  shallow,  only  two  men  were  allowed  to 
embark  in  each  canoe;  the  remainder  of  the  party 
proceeded  on  foot  by  the  path  we  yesterday  came 
up.  On  descending  four  miles,  there  is  a  portage  of 
SIX  hundred  yards  where  half  the  baggage  is  carried 


223 

across,  but  the  canoes  go  over  the  rapids  with  half- 
loads.     Here  the  men  were  halted  to  assist.     Eight 
miles  lower  there  is  another  portage  of  four  or  five 
hundred  yards,  where  the  same  labour  is  performed. 
The  river  here  receives  a  tributary  from  the  south, 
called  Ox  creek,  and  from  the  point  of  its  junction 
the  navigation  is  good  at  all  seasons,  to  Sandy  Lake, 
a  distance  of  six  miles.      It  is  one  league  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Wes*  Savannah  to  the  company's  fort, 
where  the  expedition  arrived  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.     We  were  received  with  a  saiute  from 
the  Indians  *  la  mode  de  swage,  with   balls.       The 
custom  of  firing  salutes  was  introduced  into  this  re- 
gion by  the  North  West  Company,  who  were  in  the 
habit  of  receiving  their  agents  and   clerks,  on  their 
annual  return  from  Montreal,  with  this  mark  of  re- 
spect.     But  the  Indians  never  use  blank  cartridges 
on  these  occasions,   the  precise  reason  for  which  f 
did  not  learn.     The  balls  dropped  in  the  water  all 
around  us,  and  it  would  seem  as  if  they  were  appa- 
rantly  trying  how  near  they  could  strike  to  the  canoes 
wiiliout  endangering  our  lives.      Th ;   Sandy  Lake 
band  of  Indians  consists  at  present  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  souls,  but  it  appears  to  have  been  much 
larger,  at  a  former  period.     Pike  states  the  numeri- 
cal force  of  this  band  in  I8O.0,  at  three  hundred  and 
forty-eight,  forty-five  of  whom  were  warriors,  saven- 
ty-nine  women,   and  two  hundred  and  twenty-four 
children.     The  principal  chief  is  Bookoo-sainge-gon, 
or  Broken  Arm.      It  is  also  the  residence  of  De 
Breche,  who  exe/cises   something  like  an  imperial 
sway  among  the  Chippeway  bands,  inhabiting  the 
sources  of  the  Mississippi.      This  band  subsists  by 
hunting  the  beaver,  otter,  muskrat,  moose,  marten, 


224 

wolrerine,  and  black  and  silver  fox.     They  hart 
noitljf  r  the  deer,  bufialoe,  or  elk.     In  the  (all  the/ 
gfifher  large  quantities  of  the  wild  rice,  which  is  the 
only  bread  gtuflTofthe  region.     No  corn  is  ever  rais- 
ed.    Their  hunting  grounds  extend  east  to  the  Fond 
dii  Lnc  band  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  north  to 
the  llainy  Lakes,  west  to  the  Leech  Lake  tribe,  and 
Boulh  to  the  Mis^^issippi  prairies  of  the  Sioux  coun- 
tries.    Like  all  the  erratic  bands  of  Chippeways, 
they  speak  the  Algonquin  language,  and  are  at  war 
with  the  Sioux.    'J  he  remarks  that  are  applicable 
to  one  of  these  bands,  are  equally  so  to  all,  for  they 
exhibit    little  diversity   as  to  their  mode  of  living, 
dress,  habits,  and  opinions.    Notwithstanding  the  ad- 
Tantages  of  a  long  intercourse  with  Europeans,  they 
may  still  be  represented  as  exhibiting  human  society 
in  one  of  its  rudest  possible  forms,  and  remain  cssen< 
Jinlly  without  agriculture,  without  arts,  and  without 
relii(ion.     Their  physical  constitution  is  generally 
excellent.      Inhabiting  a  hardy  climate,  where  the 
influence  of  winter  is  experienced  eight  months  in 
the  year,  they  have  acquired  a  hardihood  of  body,— 
a  patience  under  hunger  and  long  suiTering,— and  a 
contempt  for  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  which 
is  peculiar  to  the  savage  tribes  of  the  north  ;  and  we 
are  tempted  to  apply  to  them  the  remark  which  Po- 
libius  makes  concerning  the  Arcadians,  "  that  the 
cold  and  gloomy  climate  of  Arcadia,  gives  the  inhab- 
itants a  harsh  and  austere  aspect ;  for  it  is  natural 
that  men,  in  their  manners,  figure,  complexion,  and 
institutions,  ihould  resemble  their  climate."    They 
appear  also,  since  the  Six  Nations  have  dropped 
their  ancient  character,  to  possess  in  a  higher  de- 
gree, than  any  other  tribe,  that  heroic  contempt  of 


325 

4ettth,  ai.a  monly  fortitude  under  the  pressure  of  mfe. 
fortune  which  is  so  fineljr  described  b^  one  of  our 
colonial  poets,— 

"  Begin  ye  tormentor.,  your  threats  are  in  vain, 
For  the  100.  of  Alknouiook  .ball  never  complain." 

a  man  w.th  U8,  any  further  than   riches  will  mak^ 
him  so  ;  but  among  them  the  true  qualifications  of » 
man  are,  to  run  well,-to  hu«t,-to  bend  the  bow, 
aud  manage  the  fu8ee,~to  work  a  canoe,-to  under- 
stand  war,-to  know  forests,-io  subsist  upon  a  little, 
-to  build  cottage8,~to  fell  trees,  and  to  be  able  to 
travel  an  hundred  leagues  in  a  wood,  without  any 
guide,  or  other  provision  than  his  bow  and  arrows."* 
Fike  states  the  collective  strength  of  the  Chippe. 
way  tribes  at  eleven  thousand  one  hundred  and  se- 
veruy-seven,  two  thousand  and  forty-nine  of  whom  are 
warriors,  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 
women  and  five  thousand   nine  hundred  and  forty! 
four  ch,ldren.t     They  consist  of  innumerable  petfy 
bands,  scattered  over  the  immense  region  from  De! 
troit  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  Red 
R.ver  of  Hudson's  Bay.       |„   no*^  place  is  thera 
any  large  body  permanently  located,  the  internal 
bands  generally  consist  of  from  thirty  to  sixty  war- 
riors     It  is  owing  to  this  great  distribution  of  force, 
that  they  have  been  enabled  to  maintain  so  long 
and   successful  a  war   with   their  more  powerful 
neighbours,  the  Sioux,  for  it  has  been  a  defensivJ: 

•  La  Hontan'a  Voyage.,  VuJ.  2.  p.p. 

*  See  Pike'a  ExpediUow. 


♦ ' 


22G 


war  on  tijeir  part ;  and  by  living  in  small  detached 
bands,  they  have  rendered  the  superior  power  of  the 
Sioux  in  a  great  measure  useless,  and  have  been  en- 
abled to  evade  their  attacks,  and  often  to  fall  upon 
them  to  great  advantage.      They  have  relied  chiefly 
upon  their  cunning  and  dexterity,  while   the  Sioux 
have  placed  too  much  confidence  in  their  superi- 
or numbers.     "  This  nation,"  says  Lieut.  Pike,  "  is 
more  mild  and  docile  than  the  Sioux ;  and  it  we  may 
judge  from  unprejudiced  observers,  more  cool  and 
deliberate  inaction;  but  the  latter  possess  a  much 
higher  sense  ofthe  honour  of  their  nation  :  the  Chip- 
peways  plan  for  self-preservation.     The  Sioux  at- 
tack with  impetuosity  ;  the  others  defend  with  every 
necessary  precaution.     But  the  superior  number  of 
-;  the  Pioux,  would  have  enabled  them  'to  have  anni- 
hilated the  Chippeways  long  since,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  nature  of  their  country,  which  entirely  pre- 
cludes the  possibility  of  an  attack  on  horseback. 
Also,  gives  them  a  decided  advantage  over  an  ene- 
my, who,  being  half  armed  with  arrows,  the  least 
twjo-  of  a  bush  turns  the  shaft  of  death  out  ol  its  di- 
reciion.      Whereas,  the  whizzing  buUei  holds  its 
course,  nor  spends  its  force  short  of  its  desthied  vic- 
tim.    Thus,  we  generally  have  found,  that  when  en- 
gaged in  a  prairie,  the  Sioux  came  ofi' victorious; 
but  if  in  the  woods,  even,  if  not  obliged  to  retreat, 
the  carcasses  of  their  slaughtered  brethren  shew 
how  dearly  they  purchase  the  victory."     Very  few 
of   the  Chip pe way   bands  have  fixed  habitations, 
and  thoir  erratic  disposition  appears  to  be  attri- 
butable, in  a  great  measure,  to  the  poverty  of  the 
regions  they  inhabit,  and  the  inclemency  of  their 
climate.      Throughout  a  great  proportion  of  the 


227 

region  no  corn  can  be  cultivated,  and  when  tlieir 
game,  or  fish,    or  wild  rice  fails  them,  they  are 
compelled  to  change  their  residence  in  quest  of 
food.     All  the  bands  are  subje«!t  to  their  own  chiefs, 
who  are  elected  for  their  superior  acquirements  as 
hunters,  warriors,  or  orators.      The  same  climate, 
however,  which  renders  them  a  scanty  subsistence, 
exempts  them  from  other  evils,    with  which  their 
southern  neighbours  are  afflicted.     Sickness  and  dis- 
ease are  almost  unknown  in  their  territories.     They 
are  wholly  exempted  from  the  bilious  complaints  of 
the  southern  latitudes  of  our  continent.    Their  mode 
of  life  also  favours  a  healthful  constitution  of  body,-^ 
open  air,— free    exercise,— without  exhausting  fa. 
tigue,  and  a  simple  diet,  exempt  them  from  a  train  of 
diseases  incident  to  refined  society.  It  has  been  said 
that  their  wandering  mode  of  life,  and  the  rapidity 
of  their  marches  through  the  woods,  generally  proves 
fatal  to  such  as  are  stricken  by  age  or  infirmity ;  and 
that  iil-formed  children  are  destroyed  by  their  moth- 
ers in  infancy.     Nothing  has,  however,  been  observ- 
ed to  strengthen  this  opinion.    It  is  probable  indivi- 
dual cases  of  such  barbarity,  (and  those  of  extreme 
deformity,)  have  occurred,  but  there  does  not  appear 
to  prevail  any  general  custom  in  regard  to  it.    On 
the  contrary,  several   natuiully  deformed  savages 
which  we  have  seen,  appear  to  disprove  the  preva- 
lence of  such  a  custom,  or  may,  at  least,  be  looked 
upon  as  instances  of  the  humanity  and  attachment  of 
their  mothers. 

There  are  no  bands  of  the  northern  Indians  who  go 
entirely  without  clothes,  even  in  the  hottest  summer 
weather  ;  and  like  all  other  savages  they  possess  a 
great  fondness  for  grotesque  ornaments  of  feathen, 


228 

« 

skins,  bones,  and  claws  of  animals.    They  have  als^ 
en  unconquerable   passion  for  silver  bands,  beads, 
rings,  and  all  light,  showy,  and  fantastic  articles  of 
European  manufacture.     When  silver  cannot  be 
procured  they  use  copper,  which  is  a  native  product 
of  the  region,  and  is   beaten  out  by  them  in  a  rude 
way  with  a  hatchet  upon  a  stone,  and   afterwards 
rubbed  smooth.     The  women  being  compelled  to 
do  the  work  and  drudgery  of  savage  life,  have  less 
opportunity  and  time  for  dress,  but  their  taste,  in  this 
respect,  remains  the  same,  and  whenever  they  ca?i 
procure  them,  dress  themselves  with  the  most  gaudy 
articles.      They  do  not,  however,  use  feathers,  an 
ornament  which  appears  exclusively  appropriated 
to  the  men  and  warriors.  The  great  occasions  which 
draw  them  out  in  all  their  finery,  are  war  and  feast- 
ing.    War  and  feasting,  form,  however,  the  great  em- 
ployments of  savage  society,  when  it  has  not  been 
ameliorated  by  European  intercourse.     The  north- 
ern savages  play  several  games  at  cards,  and  have 
an  inordinate  passion  for  gambling,  which  carries 
them  to  such  excesses,  that  they  will  stake  their 
arm-bands,  rings,  and  other  articles  of  ornament,  or 
dress.    This  practice  which  was  probably  first  intro- 
duced by  the  French  Couriers  du  Bois  is  attended 
by  all  the  bad  consequences,  without  any  of  the  ad- 
vantages resulting  from  it,  in  civilized  society— for 
they  never  play  for  amusement.      Hence  many  of 
their  quarrels  and  murders  are  attributable  to  gam- 
bling disputes. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  the  North  American 
Indians  have  tamed  no  wild  animals,  so  as  to  render 
them  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  domestic  econo- 
my.   To  tliis  remark  their  dogs  are  an  exception, 


229 

^r  they  appear  to  be  nothing  more  than  the  tamed 
wolt,  and  tamed  fox,  in  some  instances  a  mixed 
breed,  and  m  all  possessing  the  essential  characters 
ot  these  i^o  animals.  They  have  a  long  pointed 
head,  sharp  ears,  and  long  coarse  grey  hair,  and 
cannot  bark  in  the  manner  of  the  European  dog. 
This  has  given  Euffon  occasion  to  say,  that  dogs 
which  have  been  transported  from  Europe  to  Ame- 
rica, suffer  so  much  under  the  deteriorating  influ- 
ence of  our  climate,  that  they  completely  loose  the 
power  of  bfirking.  The  domesticated  wolf,  or  Indian 
dog,  has  a  sullen  growl,  and  where  there  is  no  inter- 
mixture,  retains  its  primitive  howl,  which  it  is  easy 
to  distinguislj  from  that  of  the  true  dog. 

Notwithstadfling  the  abundance  of  wild  rice  in 
this  region,  there  is  a  great  part  of  the  year  that  they 
subsist  without  this   article,   owing  to  their  want  of 
industry  and  foresight  in  gathering  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity before  it  is  destroyed  by  the  myriads  of  aquatic 
fowl,  which  itattract?;  and  also  to  their  improvidence 
inliving  riotously  upon  itin  the  harvest  season,  without 
thinking  of  the  coming  winter.      The  bands  of  Chip- 
pewaysand   Ottaways  inhabiting  thn   peninsula  of 
Michigan,  plant  corn.     Northwest  of » he  Sault  de  St. 
Marie,  the   Indians   may  be  represented  as   w  holly 
without  agriculture.      When  their  wild  rice  is  gone, 
they  rely  chiefly  upon  the  fish  which  are  abundant 
in  all  the  northern  lakes.      Hunting  is  less  an  object 
to  procure  meat,   than  to  procure  furs,  the  animals 
being  mostly  of  the  small  and  well-furred  kind.     In 
times  of  great  scarcity,  they  resort  to  several  roots, 
of  an  alimentary  character,  afforded  by  the  region,' 
and  which  like  the  manioc  of  the  native  Brizilians,' 
supplies  the  place  of  bread.    The  principal  of  thes^ 


t 


1   ■! 


fi30 

is  the  Indian  potatoe,  a  production  that  remains  un- 
noticed in  American  Botany.    What  analogy  it  bears, 
if  any,  to  the  tuckaho  of  the  southern  states,  of  which 
a  description  has  lately  been  read  before  the  New- 
York  Lyceum,  by  Dr.  John  Torrey,  I  am  unable  to 
say.     When  caught  without  this  resource,  and  game 
failin<r,    they  are    often    known  to  gather  up   the 
bleached  bones  in  the  woods,  and  by  long  boiling  in 
water,  extract  some  nutritive  matter,  which  is  drank 
in  the  form  of  a  soup.      In  desperate  cases,  they  also 
collect  the  river  and  lake  muscles,  which  are  eaten, 
after  having  been  previously  boiled.    These  are  con- 
sidered by  the  Indians  the  most  insipid  food  which 
they  are  ever  driven  by  necessity  to  make  use  of. 
There  is  a  species  of  lichen,  in  some  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, which  is  also  sometimes  eaten.  It  is  called  waac  by 
the  Indians,  and  Tripe  de  Roche  by  the  French,  and 
is  eaten,  after  being  boiled  down  to  the  consistence 
of  a  mucilnge.  They  are  the  only  tribes  of  American 
Indians  who  live  loithout  salt,  their  country  afford- 
ing no  b'inc-springs,  and  being  either  unable  to  buy 
from  the  traders,  or  wanting  the  opportunity.  Such  is 
the  miserable  life  which  these  people  live,  owing  to 
the  dreariness  of  the  climate,  the  want  of  agriculture, 
and  their  own  improvidence. 

The  custom  of  painting  their  bodies  is  character- 
istic of  all  savage  tribes.  The  native  Britons  former- 
ly practised  it.  Those  of  the  island  of  St.  Salvador, 
when  Columbus  first  landed  in  the  new  world,  were 
,  found  to  paint  grotesque  figures  and  ornaments  upon 
their  bodies.  The  native  Brazilians,— the  inhabi- 
tants of  New-Holland,  and  Van  Dieman's  Land,  and 
all  the  tribes  of  North  America,  are  more  or  less  in 
the  practice  of  employing  paint  upon  their  faces,  an^l 


^31 

other  parts  of  their  bodies,  either  with  a  view  of 
rendering  themselves  more  attractive  to  their  friends, 
or  more  terrible  to  their  enemies.     The  northern 
tribes  use  it  upon  all  occasions.    The  substances 
employed  are  ochres,  clays,  native  oxyds  of  iron, 
bole,  and  some  other  minerals,  the  production  of 
their  country.     The  Sioux  procure  a  fine  green  co- 
loured clay,  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Peter's,  which 
is  highly  esteemed.  They  have  also  a  white  and  red 
clay,  and  a  fine  red  oxide  of  iron,  which  are  much 
employed,  and  by  their  admixture,  they  are  ena- 
bled   to    paint  themselves   of  almost  any  colour. 
Red  is  the  colour  with  which  they  decorate  them- 
selves on  going  to  war,  and  for  this  purpose  vermi- 
lion is  sold  them  by  the  traders  at  the  rate  of  eight 
dollars  per  pound.     Black,  is  used  when  they  mourn 
the  loss  of  relatives,  and  for  this  purpose  lampblack, 
or  soot,  mixed  with  bears  oil,  is  employed. 

Of  the  state  of  female  society  among  the  northern 
Indians,  I  shall  say  little,  because  on  a  review  of  it,  I 
find  very  little  to  admire,  either  in  their  collective 
morality,  or  personal  endowments.  The  savage 
state  is  universally  found  to  display  itself  in  the  most 
striking  degree  in  the  situation,  dress,  personal  ac- 
complishments, and  employments  of  females,  and 
these  evidences  may  be  looked  upon  as  unerring  in- 
dexes to  the  degree  of  civilization,— to  the  mental 
powers,  and  to  the  moral  refinements  of  the  other  sex. 
Doomed  to  drudgery  and  hardship  from  infancy,— 
without  the  elegance  of  dress,— without  either  mental 
rebources,  or  personal  beauty,— what  can  be  said  in 
favour  of  the  Indian  women  !  The  custom  of  bind- 
ing the  feet  of  female  infants  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
make  the  toes  point  inwards,  gives  them  in  after  life 


232 

a  very  awkward  appearance  in  walking  ;  and  in  r^. 
gard  to  the  absenre  of  female  beauty,  I  am  not  able 
irom  my  own  observations,  to  make  a  single  excep-^ 

That  excoptions  exist,  however,  among  some  of 

the  northern  tribes,  we  have  the  authority  of  M'Ken- 
zie  for  asserting.     "  Of  all  the  nations,"  he  remarks, 

which  I  have  seen  on  this  continent,  the  itnistenaux 
women  are  the  most  comely.  Their  figure  is  gene- 
rally  well  proportioned,  and  the  regularity  of  their 
features  would  l,e  acknowledged  by  the  more  civi- 
hzed  people  of  Europe.  Their  complexion  has  Jess 
of  that  dark  tinge,  which  is  common  to  those  sava- 
ges  who  have  less  cleanly  habits. 

J' It  does  not  appear,  however,"  he  continues,  "that 
chastity  ,s  considered  by  them  as  a  virtue;  or  that 
fidehtyis  believed  to  be  essential  to  the  happiness 
of  H;edded  life.     Though  it  sometimes  happens,  that 
themfidehty  of  a  wife  is  punished  by  the  husband, 
with  the  loss  of  her  hair,  nose,  and  perhaps  life;  such 
seventy  proceeds  from  its  having  been  practised 
without  h,s  permission:  for  a  temporary  interchange 
of  wives  IS  not  uncommon ;    and  the  offer  of  their 
persons    ,s  considered  as  a  necessary  part  of  the 
hospitality  due  to  strangers. 

"  When  a  man  looses  his  wife,  it  is  considered  as 
a  duty  to  marry  her  sister,  if  she  has  one;  or  he 

li'me  "i         ^  ^""^^  **'^'"  ^^^  ^*  ^^^  «^"»« 

We  here  first  observed  a  custom  which  is  preva- 

lent  among  the  northern  bands,  of  inclosing  their 

dead  ,n  coffins  bound  around  with  bark,  and  expos- 

^^*  M«Ke.ziels  Voyages  to  the  Frozen  and  Pacific  Oceans,  p. 


233 
ing  them  on  scaffolds  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in  the  air. 

fTom  tr  S  "" '"  '1^  'I  ^''''  *^^*^"  ^^'^«^«d  by  them 
rom  the  Sioux,  who  have  practised  it  from  the  ear- 

liest  times.    It  is  not  now  universal  amon^the  CWp 

peja,s,  and  they  frequently  bury  their  d'e  d  in  thj 

Eu  opean  manner.    I„  this  case,  however,  a  roof  is 

bu,lt  over  the  grave,  which  is  closed  all  around,  eZ 

cept  at  the  head,  where  a  hole  is  cut  throu^  the 

bark  large  enough  to  put  in  a  wooden  dishVn^th 

7Z  J  .K  t  ^^^••r^P^"*  and  ornaments,  are  bu- 
ried  with  him,  as  .t  is  supposed,  he  will  require  them 
in  another  world.  If  it  is  a  woman  that  dies,  a  pa^ 
die  and  carrying  strap  are  buried   with  her,  that 

staleThJ  ^  '^'  ''""'  ^^"^Sery  in   a  future 

state  she  is  required  to  do  in  this.    This  certainly 
implies  some  notion  of  immortality,  but  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  any  distinct  conceptions  of  the  bo- 
dy  and  soul.    It  is  difficult  indeed  to  reduce  thehr 
opinions  to  any  settled  points.    It  is  only  certain  that 
they  expect  to  live  hereafter  in  a  country  far  more 
beautifu    and  delightful  than  the  present,-wher: 
there  will  be  perpetual  spring,-where  game  will 
be  plenty,~and  where  all  the  implements  they  have 
made  use  of  in  this  life,  will  be  required  as  the 
means  of  ensunng  them  a  support.    This  idea  has 
been  seized  upon,  in  one  of  the  most  happy  moments 
of  the  poet  of  Twickenham. 

"  Lo,  the  poor  Indian,  whose  untutored  miifd 
«  ^e«  God  in  clouds,  or  hears  him  in  the  wind  j 

^  His  soul  proud  science  never  taught  to  stray 
*'  Far  as  the  solar  walk,  or  milky  way ; 
"  Yet  simple  nature  to  his  hope  has  giv'n,    ' 
«  Behind  the  cloud-topt  hill,  an  humbler  heav'n  j 
30 


23i 


^  Some  nOir  world  in  depth  of  woodt  embrao'd, 

<'  Some  happier  island  in  the  watery  waste, 

"  Where  elavea  onoe  more  their  native  land  behold, 

"  No  fiends  torment,— no  Christians  tliirst  for  gold. 

*i  To  be, — contents  his  natural  desire, 

«  He  asks  no  angel's  wing,  no  seraph's  fire ;  ' 

**  But  thinks,  admitted  to  that  equal  sky, 

«  His  faithful  dog  shall  bear  him  company."      Fori. 

LIV.  Day.— (yw/y  16/A.)— A  council  was  held  this 
morning  with  the  Sandy*Lake  Indians,  at  their  own 
solicitation,  and  several  speeches  presented  to  Gov. 
Cass,  as  the  representative  of  the  president  of  the 
United  States,  who  is  addressed  by  the  title  of 
"  Great  Father."  These  speeches,  as  they  have 
been  interpreted  to  us,  do  not  possess  the  charac- 
teristic eloquence  of  Indian  oratory,  although  appa- 
rently delivered  by  the  Indians  in  a  vc  ry  impassion- 
ed and  animated  manner.  But  it  appears,  at  least 
in  these  instances,  that  they  do  not  «  suit  the  ac- 
tion to  the  word  and  the  word  to  the  action,"  as 
what  we  have  supposed  to  be  the  most  impassion- 
ed eloquence  when  heard  in  the  Indian  tongue, 
has  turned  out,  when  translated,  to  be  a  tissue  of 
common  place  ideas,  without  passion,  eloquence,  or 
figures.  As  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  the  speech- 
es which  have  generally  been  addressed  to  the  Gov- 
ernor, during  our  progress  through  this  region,  the 
following  is  presented. 

"  Father, — ^We  are  glad  you  have  come  among 
us,  to  see  how  we  live,  and  what  kind  of  a  country 
we  inhabit,  and  to  tell  these  things  to  our  Great  Fa- 
ther, the  President. 

"Father,  you  see  us  here, — we  are  poor, — ^we 
want  every  thing, — we  have  neither  knives  or  blan- 


ass 

!1VT°  °?r^*''-'*'^  •»  cIoth,_ketUe.  Of 
tomahawk8.-tob.cco  or  whiskcy.^We  hope  you 
will  gi»e  UB  these  thing..  ^  ' 

o«L',"l*''  "?'*  «'•"' """  "■•  ''"'"<'•»'  I""  «">"gM 
proper  to  «,nd  you  among  u.._we  are  glad  to  «e 

—he  w  our  Father,— we  smoke  the  same  pipe.-we 
rable  friends.    It  shall  never  be  said  that  the  Chip- 

cerity       ""•  P*' »' P~<»  ""pledge  of ou.  .io- 
"Father,  we  are  of  the  race  of  strong  men,-of 

Ittf  yT""'  """*  '^'^  '"'"•''"••  »""  ""onno*  al- 
ways kill  game,  or  catch  fish—We  can  live  a  great 

"  Father,  our  wild  rice  is  all  eaten  up,-the  buflh. 
loes  live  in  the  land  of  o.r  enemies,  the  Siou„_we 
are  hungry,  and  naked.-we  are  dry  and  needy.- 
We  hope  you  will  relieve  as. 

"  Father,  the  President  of  the  United  States  is  » 
very  great  man.  even  like  a  lofty  pine  upon  the 
mountain's  top.-Yo»  a«  also  a  great  ma^-and 

sible  they  will  allow  us  to  suffer  !'* 

Governor  Cass  proposed  to  negociate  a  peace  be- 
•ween  them  and  the  Sioux.    They  readily  ass^^I 
and  are  to  send  some  of  their  old  men  a^  embas^.' 
dors  to  accompany  us  to  the  Falls  of  St  Aothonr 
OB  .UP  reuim  from  the  source,  of  the  Mississippi. 

«f  ?h-^      r"«  V*"*"  P'*''"« «  »'«"  »«•  <he  stale 
,*["•*  """^;^-*e  'taUonary  distances,-and  the 


''•*U  f 


236 


METEOTtOLOQICAL  OBSBRFATIONS. 


Atmotpherio  Ttmperatwt. 

1 
1 

WINDS 

A.  M>              P.  M> 

WCATHEK. 

6 

7   81121  1|  5|  6   7|  8    9 

July  6tii 

68 

57 
53 

— 

m 

78 
71 

— 

— 

65 

54 

64 

NE. 

Clear. 

7th 

67 

J4E. 

eNE. 

Rain. 

8th 

■"^^ 

63 

80 

72 

68 

— 

— 

51 

49 
50 

64 

^ 

Ckvh  wtm. 

9th 

53 
53 

— 

61 

El^E. 

Claar. 

lOtb 

58 
56 
58 
58 

NE. 

Rainy. 

11th 

51 

Wj4^ 

Cloadr  b  eooTi. 

I2th 

53 

71 

i^w. 

akomry&dMid. 

13th 

— 

42 
57 

50 

64 

52 

74 

78 
71 

58 

NW. 

C'aar. 

14th 

— 

70 
65 

NW. 

Clear. 

15th 

NW. 
NNW- 

Claudywithniii. 

I6th 

50 

57 

Fair. 

11 

|68S 

670  oiean  daily  temp. 


»«« 


STATIONARY  DISTANCES. 

From  the  South'West  Company'!  House,  to  th<i  foot 
of  the  Gi-and  Portage, 

To  the  Galley,  -  -  .  . 

To  the  head  of  Grand  Portage, 

To  ^he  foot  ot  ihe  Portage  aux  Coteaux, 

To  the  head  of  do.  •  • 

To  the  mouth  of  Savannah  river,  as  detailed  in 
DatLII.  .... 

To  the  commencement  of  the  Savannah  Portage, 

Length  of  Savannah  Portage, 

To  Sandy  Lake,  at  the  discharge  of  the  W  jst  Sa- 
vannah, .  -  -  - 

South-Weit  Company's  Fort,  on  Sandy  Lake, 


MBm.  ' 

t 

roLMiitt. 

2 

2 

4 

7 

11 

6 

17 

H 

18* 

56i 

75 

24 

99 

6 

105 

18 

123 

3 

226 

* 


.";j<^;'*»"  J  'ii  <i||i|> 


WEATHEB. 


[Jlear. 


lain. 


:|ear  h  wtrab 


j\sav. 


latny. 


kowerfSidMid. 


"3ar. 


!:i«ar. 


laudywkbniii. 


air. 


ily  temp. 


Bet.  ' 

rob  Mite*. 

2 

2 

4 

7 

11 

6 

17 

li 

18f 

56J 

75 

24 

99 

5 

105 

18 

133 

3 

126 

4 

8 

220 


237 

ELEVATION  OP  THE  COUNTRY. 

Eitimated  fafi  of  the  St.  Louis  River,  from  the  head 
of  Lake  Superior  to  the  South- We»t  Company'* 
House,  24  miles,  at  2  inches  per  mile, 

Thence  to  the  Galley,  4  miles, 

To  the  head  of  the  Grand  Portage, 

To  the  foot  of  the  Portage  aux  Coteftux,  2  leajjUes, 
at  3  feet  per  mile,        -  .  .  . 

To  the  head  of  the  Portage  aux  Coteaux,  (falls  not 
included,)  -  .  .  . 

Goteaux  Falls,  -  .  .  . 

Thence  to  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah  River,  as  es- 
timated by  Dr.  Wolcott,  see  Dav  LIL 

Thence  to  the  Savannah  Portage, 

Thence  to  the  bead  of  the  West  Savannah, 

DxsoiNT  or  THX  WxsT  Savannah. 
From  the  place  of  embarkation  to  the  first  Rapid,  4 

miles,  at  6  inches  per  mile, 
Descent  of  the  first  Rapid, 
To  the  head  of  the  second  Rapid,  8  miles,  at  €  inches 

per  mile,  •  .  .  _ 

Descentof  the  second  Rapid,  . 

Thence  to  the  level  of  Sandy  Lake, 


Elevation  of  Sandy  Luke  above  Lake  Superior,      Feet 


PMt.  ToM  FMt. 


m 


28 
14 

212.6 
18 
SO 


2 
5 


12 

232 


18      250 


273 
292 

504.6 
522.6 
530.6 


CHAPTER  IX. 
*J^  O  U  JR^E  Y, 

FROM  SAJ>rar  LAKE  TO     HE  SOURCES  OF  THE  MIS. 

sia^uppi. 

LV.  Day.— (Jm/^  17/^.) 

We  left  the  fort  at  half  past  nine  in  the  morning, 
in  three  canoes,  manned  hj  nineteen  vojageurs  and 
Indians,  and  provisioned  for  twelve  dajs.    Our  par- 
ty now,  exclusive  of  the  working  men,  consisted  of 
Governor  Cass,  Dr.  Wolcott,  Capt.  Douglass,  Lieut. 
Mackaj,  MaJ.  Forsyth,  and  myself.    The  balance 
of  the  expedition,-men,  baggage,  and  canoes,  was 
left  at  the  Company's  establishment.    A  mile  from 
the  fort  we  entered  the  mouth  of  Sandy  Lake  River 
which  discharges  into  the  Mississippi,  two  mileJ 
below.    Its  course  is  winding,  and  near  its  junction 
with  the  Mississippi,  it  has  a  rapid  where  the  water 
descends  three  feet  in  sixty  yards.    On  entering  the 
Mississippi,  we  found  a  strong  current,— reddish  wa- 
ter,  a  little  turbid,~some  snags  and  drifts,-and 
alluvial  banks,  elevated  from  four  to  eight  feet,  bear- 
ing  a  forest  of  elm,  maple,  oak,  poplar,  pine,  and  ash. 
1  he  elm  predominates ;  maple  and  oak  are  com- 
mon,—pme,  ash,  and  poplar,  sparing.    The  river 
has  a  width  of  sixty  yards,  and  the  shores  are  skirt* 


^39 


WE  Mrs. 


morning, 
eurs  and 
Our  par- 
sistetl  of 
8,  Lieut, 
balance 
3es,  was 
lie  from 
p  River, 
0  miles 
function 
e  water 
ring  the 
iish  wa> 
3, — and 
t,  bear- 
nd  ash. 
s  com" 
B  river 
i  8kirt>» 


ed  with  bull  rushes,  foille  avoine,  and  tuAs  of  wi^ 
low.  In  the  course  of  the  day  we  passed  the  fol- 
lowing rapids,  numbered  and  estimated  from  the 
mouth  of  Sandy  Lake  River. 

lit  Rapid,  S  milei,  descent  2  feet  in       50  yards 
2d      -      4  -  3        -  200    - 

3d      •      S  •  6        •  100    • 

<Ui     •      1  .  I    foot  in       ao    - 

ixh     •     5  m  7    feet  in     100    - 

6th  •  11  •  8  -  aoo  - 
We  encamped  twenty  mfles  above  the  sixth  rapid 
at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  having  been  eleven 
hours  in  our  canoes,  and  progressed  forty-six  miles. 
The  weather  has  been  variable. — At  day  light  there 
was  a  violent  wind,  attended  with  rain,  which  ceas- 
ed at  nine  oVlock. — Cloudy  all  day,— sun  shone  out 
hot  at  one  o'clock,— then  a  shower;  cloudy  and 
cool  in  the  evening.  The  river  has  received  no 
tribuiary  streams  ;  no  islands  have  been  encounter- 
ed, nor  have  any  hills  been  seen,  but  the  country  is 
low,  and  swampy  at  a  short  distance  from  the  river. 
Detached  stones  of  hornblende,  sand  stone,  and 
granite,  appear  upon  the  rapids.  The  musquitoes 
have  been  very  troublesome. 

LVI.  Day— (/«/y  18^)— There  was  a  shower  of 
rain  during  the  night,— it  ceased  at  four  o'clock. 
We  embarked  at  five, — the  weather  remained  clou- 
dy and  misty.  On  ascending  one  mile,  we  passed 
Swan  River,  which  enters,  by  a  mouth  of  twenty 
yards  wide,  on  the  right  shore.  Loose  rocks  ap- 
pear in  the  water  at  its  mouth.  This  stream  is  sixty 
miles  long,  and  originates  in  Swan  Lake,  in  which 
trout  are  caught.  It  is  rapid  for  a  distance,  but  ex- 
pands to  a  great  width  towards  its  source,  where  it 


240 

has  a  still  current,  and  abounds  in  wild  rice.    Thir- 
teen leagues  above  we  passed  Rapid  No.  7,  where 
the  water  falls  three  feet  in  a  hundred  and  fifty 
yards.      Trout   river  enters    six  miles  higher,  on 
the  right  side.      It  is  about  thirty  feet  wide  at  its 
mouth,   but  deep,  and  widens  above.      It  origin- 
ates in  Trout  Lake,  and  is  connected  with  Swan 
River   near  its    source.     Prairie   River    is  four 
miles  above,  and  enters  on  the  same  side.    It  is 
nmety  feet  wide  at  its  mouth,-.has  a  considerable 
rapid  three  »ailes  above,  but  may  be  ascended  with 
canoes,  through  an  open  prairie  country,  ninety  miles. 
It  communicates,  by  short  portages,  with  one  of  the 
western  tributaries  of  St.  Louis   river,  and  with 
Swan  river.    We  encamped  on  a  sand  bank,  five 
hundred  yards  above  its  entrance,  having  progress- 
ed fifty-one  miles.     The  current  of  the  Mississippi 
river,  this  day,  has  been  strong,  and  a  number  of 
snags  and  drifts  have  been  encountered.     The  velo- 
city is  computed,  by  Captain  Douglass,  at  2|  miles 
per  hour.    The  timber  has  been  much  the  same  as 
yesterday,— elm  and  maple  predominate.     In  the 
afternoon  we'  passed  several  ridges  of  pine  land 
elevated  twenty  or  thirty  feet  above  the  water,— and 
a  few  miles  below  Trout  river,  came  through  a  fo- 
rest of  burnt  dead   pines,   which  continue  about 
three  miles  on  either  shore.    The  general  course  of 
the  river  is  west  of  north  ;  it  is  very  serpentine,  and 
the  curves  short,  seldom  exceeding  a  mile;— the 
width  of  the  river  has  been  less  than  yesterday,  and 
may  be  computed  to  average  forty  yards.     Tufts  of 
willow,  grass,  and  wild  rice,  skirt  the  water's  edge. 
No  islancis  or  rock  strata  are  seen,— detached  stones, 


241 


Such  as  were  yesterday  noticed,  appear  in  the  bed 
of  the  stream  at  the  rapids,  and  occasionally  along 
the  shore.     The  banks  are  the  most  recent  kind  of 
alluvion,  in  which  very  minute  shining  particles  of 
mica  are  seen.    The  common  fresh  water  muscle  is 
very  abundant  along  the  shore,  and  some  of  an  ex- 
traordinary size.    Ducks  and  plover  have  been  con- 
tinually in  sight.— The   robin,   {turdus  migratorius) 
brown  thrush,  blackbird,  crow,  and  water  loon,  have 
also  been  noticed.  -  It  is  not  a  region  favourable  to 
serpents,  and  the  Indians  say  that  the  common  garter, 
{coluber  mtivm,)  and  water  snake,  are  the  only  spe- 
cies known.    The  weather  continueu  cloudy  and 
cool  during  the  day,  and  very  chrlly  at  night.     The 
musquitoes  have  been  less  annoying  in  consequence. 

LVII.  DAY.-.(J«/y  19/A.)~The  night  was  so  cold 
that  water  froze  upon  the  bottoms  of  our  canoes,  and 
they  were  encrusted  with  a  scale  of  ice  of  the  thick- 
ness of  a  knife  blade.    The  thermometer  stood  at 
36'*  at  sun-rise.    There  was  a  very  heavy  dew  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  a  dense  fog  in  the  morning.     The 
forenoon  remained  cloudy  and  chilly.     Six  miles 
above  our  encampment  we  passed  the  eighth  Rapid, 
where  the  water  falls  two  feet  in  a  hurjred yards; 
and  half  a  mile  above,  the  ninth  Rapid,  which  con- 
sists of  a  series  of  small  rapids,  extending  a  thou- 
sand yards,  in  the  course  of  which,  there  is  an  aggre- 
gate fall  of  sixteen  feet.    Four  miles  above  the  ter- 
mination of  the  ninth  Rapid,  we  landed  at  the  foot 
of  the  falls  of  Peckagama,  where  the  river  has  a  de- 
scent of  twenty  feet  in  three  hundred  yards.    This 
forms  an  interruption  to  the  navigation,  and  there  is 

31 


<    ■'" 


\   ■'•/' 


i      I 


212 


a  portage  around  the  falls  of  two  liuiidred  and  seven- 
ty-five  yards.    The  Mississippi,  at  this  fall  is  com- 
pressed to  a  eighty  feet  in  width,  and  precipitated 
over  a  rugged  bed  of  sand  stone,  highly  inclined  to- 
wards  the  northeast.    There  is  no  perpendicular 
pitch,  but  the  river  rushes  down  a  rocky  channel, 
inclined  at  an  angle  of  from  3.V  to  40°.    The  view 
is  wild  and  picturesque.    Immediately  at  the  head 
of  the  falls  is  the  first  island  noticed  in  the  river.    It 
is  small,  rocky,~covered  with  spruce  and  cedar,— 
and  divides  the  channel  nearly  in  its  centre,  at  the 
pomt  where  the  fall  commences.    In  crossing  this 
portage,  I  observed  the  small  bush-whortleberry, 
(vaccinium  dumosum.)      A  portion  of  the    berries 
were  already  ripe.    After  passing  (he  falls  of  Pec- 
kagama,  a  striking  change  is  witnessed  in  the  cha- 
racter of  the  country.      We  appear  to  have  attain- 
ed the  summit  level  of  waters.  The  forests  of  maple, 
elm,  and  oak,  cease,  and  the  river  winds  in  the  most 
devious  manner  through  an  extensive  prairie,  cover- 
ed with  tall  grass,  wild  rice,  and  rushes.    This  prai- 
rie has  a  mean  width  of  three  miles,  and  is  bounded 
by  ridges  of  dry  sand,  of  moderate  "elevation,  and 
covered  sparingly  with  yellow  pine.    Sometimes  the 
river  washes  close  against  one  of  these  sand  ridges, 
—then  turns  into  the  centre  of  the  prairie,  or  cross- 
es to  the  opposite  side;  but  nothing  can  equal  its 
smuosities,— we  move  towards  ali  points  of  the  com- 
pass in  the  same  hour,— and  we  appear  to  be  wind- 
ing about  in  an  endless  labyrinth,  without  approach- 
ing nearer  to  the  object  in  view.    In  one  instance, 
we  rowed  nine  miles  by  the  windings  of  the  streAm. 
and  advanced  but  one  mile  in  a  direct  line.    While 
sitting  in  our  canoes,  in  the  centre  of  this  prairie, 


3  and  seven- 
fall  is  com- 
precipitatod 
inclined  to- 
Tpendicular 
ky  channel, 
The  view 
^t  the  head 
le  river.    It 
nd  cedar,— 
titre,  at  the 
Tossing  this 
lortleberry, 
he    berries 
lis  of  Pee- 
in  the  cha- 
lave  attain- 
ts of  maple^ 
in  the  most 
irie,  cover- 
This  prai- 
is  bounded 
•^ation,  and 
ketimes  the 
md  ridges, 
S  or  cross- 
i  equal  its 
>f  the  com- 
)  be  wind- 
approach- 
3  instance^ 
he  stream, 
e.    While 
lis  prairie, 


243 

the  rank  growth  of  grass,  rushes,  &c.  completely  hid 
the  adjoining  forests  from  view,  and  it  appeared  as 
if  we  were  lost  in  a  boundless  field  of  waving  grass. 
Nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  the  sky  above,  and  the 
lofty  fields  of  nodding  grass,  oats,  and  reeds  upon 
each  side  of  the  stream.  The  monotony  of  the  view 
can  only  be  conceived  by  those  who  have  been 
at  sea, — and  we  turned  away  wit^  the  same  kind  of 
interest  to  admire  the  birds,  and  water  fowl,  who 
have  chosen  this  region,  for  their  abode.  The  cur- 
rent of  the  river  is  gentle,  its  velocity  not  exceed- 
ing one  mile  per  hour : — its  width  is  about  eighty 
feet.  It  receives  a  tributary  from  the  left  at  the  dis- 
tance of  forty  miles  above  the  falls  of  Peckagama, 
called  Vermilion  river,  and  three  miles  above,  an- 
other called  Chevr^uil,  or  Deer  river,  from  the  right, 
bank.  We  encamped  upon  the  prairie,  six  miles 
above  Chevreuil  river,  at  a  late  hour,  haying  ascend- 
ed sixty  miles.  Ducks  have  been  abundant  through- 
out the  day.  We  saw  no  plover  in  the  prairies,  al- 
though they  were  common  below.  The  black- 
bird has  been  constantly  in  sight,  and  the  small 
white  gull,  such  as  is  common  upon  the  lakes,  hag 
been  so  abundant  as  to  annoy  our  progress,  parti- 
cularly by  its  scream,  which  is  harsh  and  unplea- 
sant These  birds  had  their  nests  all  along  the 
banks,  and  were  constantly  alarmed  for  their  young. 
The  loon,  the  wild  goose,  and  the  heron,  have  also 
been  observed.  The  weather  has  been  cloudy, 
with  occasional  gleams  of  sunshine,  and  chilly  to-r 
wards  evening.  At  the  place  of  our  encampment 
we  found  a  very  delicious  species  of  red  raspberry, 
growing  upon  a  small  bush  of  the  size  of  a  straw- 
berry vine.    Here  a)so,  as  nj^ht  approached,  we 


I  1. 

1  -IS' 


1 1 

I  2 
'■"1 


244 


# 


111 


'«'l 


first  noUced  the  fire-fly,  which  has  not  before  bee«i 
aeen  upon  the  Mississippi. 

LVnf.  Day.— (/«/y  20/A.)— We  had  rain  during 
the  njght,-.thc  morning  was  cloudy,  with  a  heavy 
fog.     Wc  embarked  at  half  past  five ;  our  route  lay 
through  a  prairie  country,  similar  in  every  respect 
to  that  yesterday  passed.    At  the  distance  of  ten 
miles  we  passed  the  mouth  of  Leech  river,  entering 
on  the  left.    This  is  the  main  southwestern  fork  o*5" 
the  Mississippi,  and  is  ascended  about  fifty  miles,  to 
Its  source,  in  Leech  lake,  where  the  American  fur 
company  have  an  establishment.    This  lake  is  twelve 
miles  across,  and  was  considered,  by  Lieut.  Pike,  as 
the  main  source  of  the  Mississippi.    «  The  fort,"  he 
observes,  "  is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake 
in  47-  16'  IT  north  latitude.     It  is  built  near  the' 
short,  on  the  declivity  of  a  rising  ground,  having  an 
inclosed  garden,  of  about  five  acres,  on  the  north- 
west.    It  is  a  square  stockade,  of  one  hundred  and 
fifly  feet,— the  pickets  beitjg  sixteen  feet  in  length, 
three  feet  under  ground,  and  thirteen  feet  above, 
—and  are  bound  together  by  horizontal  bars,  each 
ten  feet  long.  Pickets  often  feet  are  likewise  drove 
into  th^  ground,  on  the  inside  of  the  work,  opposite 
the   apertures  between  the  large  pickets.    A<  the 
west  and  east  angles  are  bastions  pierced  for  fire 
arms."*     The  Leech  lake  band   of  Chippeways 
are  located  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,    ft  consists 
of  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  8eul8,one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  whom  are  warriors.    The  prin- 
cipal   chiefs    are   Eskibvgeckoga,  or,   Flat-Mouth, 

•  Tike's  Expeditioni. 


^m 


245 


before  been 


rain  during 
ith  a  heavy 
ur  route  lay 
'ery  respect 
ance  of  ten 
er,  entering 
3tern  fork  of 
dy  miles,  to 
tnerican  fur 
ke  is  twelve 
ut.  Pike,  as 
he  fort,"  he 
of  the  lake, 
It  near  the 
,  having  an 
I  the  north- 
indred  and 
;  in  length, 
feet  above, 
bars,  each 
wise  drove 
k,  opposite 
ts.    At  the 
ed  for  fire 
hippeways 
It  consists 
souls,  one 
The  prin- 
lat-Moutb, 


Obiguetie,  or  the  chief  of  the  Land,  and  Oole,  or  the 
Burnt.  They  hunt  the  beaver,  marten,  muskrat, 
otter,  and  black  foi.  The  moose  is  sometimes  kill- 
ed. They  subsist  chiefly  upon  the  flesh  of  thesft  an- 
imals, and  obtain  European  and  American  fabrics 
In  exchange  for  their  furs.  Their  neighbours  are 
the  Assenniboins,  (a  revolted  band  of  the  Sioux,) 
on  the  west,— the  Upper  Red  Cedar,  and  Red  Lake 
tribes  of  Chippeways,  on  the  north,— -and  the  Sandy 
Lake  Indians  pn  the  east  and  south.  Leech-lake 
river  runs  its  whole  length  through  a  savannah,— is 
very  serpentine,— and  in  many  places  not  more  than 
ten  or  fifteen  yards  wide,  although  it  has  a  depth  of 
twelve  or  fifteen  feet.  The  current  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  above  its  junction,  is  perceptibly  strong- 
er, and  the  water  quite  clear.  The  bends  are  also 
more  abrupt,  and  the  width  of  the  stream  a  little 
more  than  half  what  it  maintains  below.  It  may  be 
estimated  above  the  Leech-lake  branch,  at  sixty 
feet,  but  still  preserves  a  good  depth.  From  Sandy 
lake  river,  to  the  falls  of  Peckagama,  the  mean  fall 
of  the  river  may  be  estimated  at  six  inches  per  mile, 
exclusive  of  the  rapids  j— from  thence  to  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Leech-lake  branch,  at  two  inches  per 
mile,  and  thence  to  Lake  Winnipec,  at  four  inches 
per  mile. 

At  the  distance  of  thirty-five  miles  above  Leech 
river,  we  entered  Little  lake  Winnipec,  which  is 
about  five  miles  long,  and  three  in  width.  The  wa- 
ter is  clear.  Its  shores  are  low  and  marshy,  covered 
with  rushes,  spear  grass,  and  wild  rice,  which  in 
some  places  extend  quiu  across  the  lake,  giving  it 
rather  the  appearance  of  a  marsh.  jOn  passing 
through  this,  the  river  again  assumes  the  size  and 


¥ 


m: 


246 


m' 


/■ 


general  appearance  it  had  below,  for  a  distance  of 
ten  miles,  when  it  opens  into  a  spacious  bay,  which 
is  the  northeastern  extremity  of  the  Upper  lake 
Winpipec.  We  proceeded  through  this,  and  en- 
camped on  the  north  shore  of  the  lake,  at  the  mouth 
of  Turtle  Portage  river.  Lake  Wiiinipec  is  about 
fourteen  miles  long  by  nine  in  width,  and  its  waters 
are  deep  and  transparent.  Its  shores  are  generally 
low  and  covered,  at  the  water's  edge,  with  rushes, 
and  wild  oats.  Upon  its  banks  we  find  oak,  maple, 
poplar,  birch,  and  white  pine.  It  receives  four  tribu- 
taries. Turtle  Portage  river.  Round  Lake  river, 
Thornberry  river,  and  an  inlet  from  the  sov/thwest, 
which  being  somewhat  larger  than  the  others,  pre- 
strvas  the  name  of  the  Mist^issippi.  Turtle  Portage 
river,  communicates  through  several  intermediate 
little  lakes,  with  the  Rainy  lakes,  and  the  Lake  of 
the  Woods.  The  journey  to  the  Upper  Rainy  Lake 
is  performed  in  eight  days,  and  from  thence  to  the 
Lake  of  the  Woods  in  ten  days. 

Round  Lake  river  is  the  outlet  of  a  lake  which  is 
9onnected  by  its  higher  tributaries,  with  the  waters 
of  Turtle  Portage  river,  and  the  Rainy  Lakes. 
Thornberry  river,  or  La  riviere  des  Epinettes,  is 
smaller  than  the  two  former,  and  is  not  ascended 
any  considerable  distance  in  canoes.  Its  origin 
is  also  irt  lakes.  The  Mississippi  branch  is  naviga- 
ble fifty  miles  to  its  source  in  the  Upper  Re^  Cedar 
Lake. 

On  passing  tiirough  Little  Lake  Winnipec,  we  met 
a  couple  of  Indian  women  in  a  canoe,  being  the  first 
natives  seen  on  the  river,  of  whom  our  interpreter 
made  enquiry  as  to  the  course  of  the  river,  and  the 
nature  of  the  country  above.    Th'j'y  manifested  no 


M-, 


distarice  of 
bay,  which 
^pper  lake 
8,  and  en- 
tile mouth 
c  is  about 
t  its  waters 
!  generally 
ith  rushes, 
tak,  maple, 
four  tribu- 
ake  river, 
southwest, 
thers,  pre- 
le  Portage 
termediate 
te  Lake  of 
ainy  Lake 
ince  to  the 

e  which  is 
the  waters 
ny  Lakes, 
►inettes,  is 
;  ascended 
Its  origin 
is  naviga- 
(e4  Cedar 

Bc,  we  met 
ig  the  first 
nterpreter 
r,  and  the 
lifested  no 


247 


alarm  on  our  approach,  and  communicated  what 
they  knew  frankly  and  without  reserve.  They  had 
come  down  the  river  for  the  purpose  of  observing 
the  state  of  the  wild  rice,  and  at  what  places  it 
could  be  most  advantageously  gathered.  None, 
however,  was  yet  sufficiently  ripe  to  admit  of  har- 
vesting, but  this  precaution  evinces  a  degree  of 
care  and  foresight,  which  is  not  always  found 
among  savages. 

In  the  course  of  this  day  -^e  have  observed,  ei- 
ther upon  the  river,  or  its  banks,  the  wild  goose, 
duck,  turkey-buzzard,  raven,  eagle,  king-fisher,  (al- 
eedo  alct/orii)  and  blackbird. 

LlX.DAY.(/M/y21*/.) — ^We  continued  our  journey 
at  half  past  four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Passing 
around  the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Winnipec,  we 
observed  at  a  distance  a  rocky  island  of  such  snowy 
whiteness,  as  to  give  it  an  appearance  of  singular 
•ovelty,  and  to  baffle  every  conjecture  as  to  the  sub- 
stance of  which  it  was  composed.  On  reachincr  its 
shores,  we  found  it  to  be  a  confused  pile  of  water- 
worn  fragments  of  granite,  hornblende,  quartz,  &c. 
covered  with  a  thick  limey  incrustation,  produced 
from  the  excrescence  of  the  myriads  of  water-fowl 
who  resort  to  it.  These  birds  were  driven  away  in 
flocks  by  our  approach,  and  we  particularly  noticed 
the  wild  goose,  black  duck,  pelican,  cormorant, 
brant,  and  plover.  On  landing  a  dead  pelican  (pe- 
kcanta  onocratobts,)  was  found  upon  the  rocks,  ha- 
ving apparently  been  killed  that  morning,  either  in 
a  strife  among  its  own  species  or  through  disease. — 
No  marks  of  violence,  or  external  disease  could 
however  be  observed.    This  is  one  of  the  largest  of 


248 


\ 


web-footed  water  fowl,  often  exceeding  in  size  tW 
swan.     It  has  been  known  to  weigh  twenty-five 
pounds,  and  to  measure  eleven  feet  between  the  tips 
of  the  wings.     Its  most  remarkable  character,  and 
one  which  distinguishes  it  from  all  pther  birds,  is  a 
large    membranaceous  pouch  extending  from  the 
mandible  nine  or  ten  inches  down  the  front  of  the 
neck.    This  serves  as  a  repository  for  its  food,  and 
when  empty,  the  bird  has  the  power  of  wrinkling  it  up. 
It  has  the  colour  and  consistence  of  a  wetted  bladder 
and  is  naked  to  appearance,  but  on  examination  is 
found  to  be  partially  covered  with  a  very  fine  downy 
substance.     These  pouches  are  fashioned  by  the  In- 
dians into  caps  for  summer  wear,  being  very  light  and 
airy.      Notwithstanding  the  great  bulk  of  this  bird, 
it  is  said  to  be  Vtery  expert  upon  the  wing,  and  soars 
to  a  great  height,  which  is  in  some  measure  attribu- 
table to  the  extreme  lightness  of  its  bones',  which 
do  not  altoget|)er  exceed  a  pound  and  a  half  in 
weight. 

Disregarding    artificial  arrangements,    all  water 
fowl  may  be  considered  under  these  great  natural  di- 
visions, namely,  those  of  the  penguin  kind,  with  short 
blunt  wings,  round  bills,  and  legs  hid  in  the  abdo- 
men, which  dive  in  quest  of  food  ;■— those  of  the 
gull  kind,  with  long  slender  legs,  sharp  pointed 
wings,  and  round  bills,  which  fly  along  the  water  to 
seize  their  prey;— an.,  those  of  the  goose  kind,  with 
broad  flat  bills,  and  hoavy-quilled  wings,  which  gen- 
erally lead  harmless  lives,  and  subsist  mostly  upon 
vegetables  and  insects.    Jhe  pelican,  from  its  sin- 
gular conformation,  will  not,  strictly  speaking,  fall 
under  any  of  these  denominations,  although  it  seems 
more  nearly  allied  to  the  family  of  the  goose.    Its 


m 


16 


249 


feathers  are  white  all  over  the  body,  and  its  wii,g«, 
winch  are  strong  and  heavy,  clothed  with  a  thick 
plumage  of  quilla  and  downy  feathers.     Us  legs  are 
red,  and  its  bill  of  a  greenish  tinge  at  the  base,  but 
changing  to  a  reddish  blue  towards  its  extremity, 
which  IS  slightly  hooked  downward.      The  eyes 
are  suiall,  compared  with  the  magnitude  of  the  head, 
and  altogether  the  bird  has  a  heavy  and  demure 
look.    Like  the  heron  and  the  cormorant,  the  peli- 
can is  an  inordinate  eater,  and  is  represented  to  be 
indolent  and  stupid  to  the  last  degree. 

«  This  species,"  says  Pennant,  "extends  over  most 
parts  of  the  torrid  zone,  and  many  parts  of  the  warm- 
er temperate.    It  is  found  in  Europe,  on  the  lower 
parts  of  the  Danube,  and  in  all  parts  of  the  Medi- 
terranean  Sea,  almost  all  Africa,  and  Asia  \«inor. 
Are  seen  in  incredible  numbers  about  the  Black  and 
Caspian  Seas ;  and  come  far  up  the  rivers,  and  into 
the  inland  lakes  of  the  Asiatic  Russian  empire ;  but 
grow  scarcer  eastward,  and  are  seldom  met  with  so 
far  north  as  the  Siberian  lakes ;  yet  are  not  unknown 
about  that  of  Baikal.      They  are  common  on  the 
coast  of  New  Holland,  where  they  grow  to  an  enor- 
mous size.     They  feed  upon  fish,  which  they  take 
sometimes  by  plunging  from  a  great  height  in  the 
air,  and  seizing,  like  the  gannet:  at  other  times  they 
fish  m  concert,  swimming  in  flocks,  and  forming  a 
large  circle  in  the  great  rivers,  which  they  gradually 
contract,  beating  the  water  with  their  wings  and  feetj 
in  order  to  drive  the  fish  into  the  centre,-    which 
when  they  approach,  they  open  their  vast  mouths, 
and  fill  their  pouches  with  their  prey,  then  incline 
their  bills  to  empty  the  bag  of  the  water;    after 
which  they  swim  to  shore  and  eat  their  booty  inqui- 

32 


ij 


6 


et    As  the  pouch  is  capable  of  holding  a  dozen 
quarts  of  wnter,  a  guess  may  be  made  of  the  quan- 
tity "»  i,:>(tf  ^  u  can  contain.    The  French  very  pro- 
peily  Ciiij  tliem  Grande Gosicrs,  or  Great  Throats,     It 
is  said  that  when  they  make  tia  irnests  in  the  dry 
deserts,  they  carry  the  water  to  their  young  in  their 
vast  pouches,  and  that  the  lions  and  heasts  of  prey 
come  there  to  quench  ihey  thirst,  sparing  the  young, 
the  cause  of  this  sahitary  provision.    Possibly,  on 
this  account,  the  Egyptians  style  th:°  lird  the  camel 
of  the  river : — the  Persians  tacub,  or  water-carrier.*" 
The    popular  fable  that  this  bird  feeds  its  young 
with  blood  from  its  own  breast,  owes  its  origin  to  the 
circumstance  of  its  permitting  them  to  eat  from  its 
pouch  the  food  which  it  collects  for  that  purpose. 

On  quitting  Pelican  Island,  we  steered  northwest 
across  the  bay,  and  entered  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi inlet,  which  we  pursued  up  6fty  miles  to  iti 
origin,  in  Upper  Red  Cedar  or  Cassinaf  Lake,  where 
we  arrived  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  This 
may  be  considered  the  true  source  of  the  Mississip- 
pi River,  although  the  greatest  body  of  water  is  said 
to  come  down  the  Leech  Lake  Branch.  The  river 
between  Lake  VVinnipec  and  Cassina  Lake  winds 
through  ift  prairie-vaHey,  a  mile  in  width,  which  is 
bounded  by  ridges  of  sandy  land  covered  with  yel- 
low and  white  pine.  The  river  pursues  the  same 
devious  course,  and  its  banks  are  overgrown  with 
wild  oats,  rushes,  and  grass.    Cassina  Lake  is  about 

*  Arctic  Zoology.  , 

f  I  have  proposed  to  the  Topographical  Engineer  of  the  Expe- 
dition, to  designate  the  lake  by  this  term,  in  order  to  prevent  its 
being  confounded  with  R«>d  Cedar  Lake,  which  is  situated  about 
250  miles  below.  It  is  in  allusion  to  Governor  Cass. 


ng  a  dozen 
f  the  quan- 
h  vory  pro- 
Throats,  It 
J  it)  the  drjr 
ing  in  their 
sis  of  prey 

the  young, 
bssibly,  on 
d  the  camei 
•-carrier.*" 

its  yoang 
rigii)  to  the 
mt  from  itt 
purpose. 
I  northwest 
jf  the  Mis- 
uiiles  to  itft 
ike,  where 
oon.    This 

IVJiseissip- 
iter  is  said 

The  river 
ake  winds 
,  which  is 
I  with  yel- 

the  same 
rown  with 
:e  is  about 


)f  the  Ezpe- 
o  prevent  its 
tuated  aboat 


^  $01 

eight  miles  long  by  six  in  width,  and  presents 
to  the  eye  a  beautiful  sheet  of  transparent  water. 
{See  tfie  perspective  view  upon  the  Map.)  Its  banks 
are  overshadowed  by  elm,  maple,  and  pine.  Along 
its  margin  there  are  some  fields  of  Indian  rice,  rushes 
and  reeds :  in  other  places,  there  13  an  open  beach 
of  clean  pebbles,  driven  up  by  the  waves,  but  no 
rock  strata  appear.  The  pike,  carp,  trout,  and  cat- 
fish are  caught  in  its  waters.  It  has  an  island  towards 
its  we3t(  rn  extremity  covered  with  trees,  from  which 
it  derives  its  local  name,  but  no  red  cedar  is  found 
around  its  shores.  This  lake  is  supplied  by  two  in- 
lets called  Turtle  and  La  Beesh  riyers,  both  tribu- 
tary on  ihe  northwestern  margin.  The  former  ori- 
ginates in  Turtle  Lake,  near  the  banks  of  the  Rainy 
Lakes,  and  after  pursuing  a  southerly  course  for 
forty  miles,  in  which  distance  it  opens  into  several 
9mall  lakes,  enters  Red  Cedar  or  Cassina  Lake  by  a 
mouth  of  fifteen  yards  in  width.  This  branch  is  as- 
cended with  canoes  passing  to  the  Lake  of  the 
Woods,  and  has  three  short  portages. 

La  Beesh  river  is  the  outlet  of  Lake  La  Beesh, 
which  lies  six  day?  journey,  with  a  canoe,  west- 
northwest  of  Cassina  Lake,  and  has  no  inlets.  A 
short  distance  from  its  shorps,  the  waters  run  north 
into  the  Red  River  of  Hudson's  Bay.  Its  outlet  has 
several  rapids,  and  expands  into  a  number  of  inter- 
mediate taken,  the  largest  of  which  are  lakes  Traver- 
se, Oga  jgtf,  and  Kiskahoo.  It  also  receives  several 
tributaries,  all  of  which  originate  in  small  lakes.  It  i^ 
only  capable  of  being  ascended  in  canoes,  during 
the  spring  and  autumnal  freshets,  and  then  there  are 
•evert^l  portages.    This  biranch  is  considered  the 


■wP 


f 


252 

largest  inlet,  and  preserves,  in  the  language  of  the 
vojrageurs,  the  name  of  the  Mississippi. 

On  the  north  shore  of  this  laiie,  on  a  cleared  emi- 
nence, is  a  village  of  Chippev^ays,  of  ten  lodges  and 
sixty  souls,  under  ff'tscovp,  or  the  Sweet.  They  receiv- 
ed the  party  with  every  mark  of  friendship,  and  pre- 
sented us  an  abundance  of  the  most  delicious  red  rasp- 
berries,  and  a  quantity  of  pemican,or  pounded  moose 
meat.  Here  we  also  found  two  Frenchmen,  who  have 
been  in  the  employ  of  the  American  Fur  Company, 
and  located  themselves  at  this  spot,  for  the  purpose 
of  trading  with  the  Indians.    In  the  person  of  one  of 

these,  Mons.  D ,  we  witnessed  one  of  the  most 

striking  objects  of  human  misery.  It  appears,  that  iu 
the  prosecution  of  the  fur  trade,  he  had,  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  country,  taken  an  Indian  wife,  and 
spent  several  winters  in  that  inclement  region.  Dur- 
ing the  last,  he  mv.3,  however,  caught  in  a  severe 
snow  storm,  and  froze  both  his  feet  in  such  a  man- 
ner, that  they  dropped  off  shortly  after  his  return  to 
his  wigwam.   In  this  helpless  situation,  he  was  sup- 
ported some  time  b.  his  wife,  who  caught  fish  in  the 
lake;  but  she  at  Ut  deserted  him;  and  on  our  ar- 
rival, he  had  subsisted  several  months  upon  the  pig 
weed  which  grew  around  his  cabin.    As  he  was  un- 
able to  walk,  this  hucl  been  thrown  in  by  his  country- 
man, or  by  the  Indians, and  appeared  to  have  been  the 
extent  of  th^ir  benevolence.    We  found  him  seated 
in  a  small   bark  cabin,  on  a  rush  mat,  with  the 
stumps  of  his  legs  tied  up  with  deerskins,  and  wholly 
destitute  of  covering.   "He  was  poor  and  emaciated 
to  the  last  degree- his  beard  was  long— cheeks  fal- 
len M-^yes  sunk,  but  darting  a  look  of  despair— and 
every  bone  iu  his  body  visible  through  the  skin.    He 


•f?;  -    ••)(; 


253 

could  speak  no  English,  but  was  continually  uttering 
curses  in  his  mother  tongue,  upon  his  own  existence, 
and  apparently,  upon  all  that  surrounded  him.  We 
could  only  endure  the  painful  sight  for  a  moment, 
and  hastened  from  this  abode  of  human  wretched- 
ness ;  but  before  leaving  the  village.  Governor  Cass 
sent  him  a  present  of  Indian  goods,  groceries,  and 
ammunition,  and  engaged  a  person  to  convey  him  to 
the  American  Fur  Company's  Fort  at  Sandy  Lake, 
where  he  could  still  receive  the  attention  due  to  suf- 
fering humanity.  These  donations  were  swelled  by 
every  individual  of  the  party,  each  one  laking  a 
pleasure  in  being  able  to  contribute  something,  with 
a  view  either  to  clothe  and  lodge  him  with  decency 
and  comfort,  or  to  enable  him  to  purchase  provi- 
sions, for  his  subsistence,  from  the  Indians. 

The  latitude  of  this  lake  as  determined  by  Lieut. 
Pike,  in  180t>,  is  47"  4i'  40."  Owing  to  cloudy  weather, 
no  opportunity  of  testing  the  correctness  of  this  obser- 
vation, was  presented  to  us ;  but  Capt.  Douglass  had 
an  observation  fifty  eight  miles  below,  and  calculated 
the  latitude  of  that  place  to  be  47°  38'.  The  distance 
from  Sandy  Lake,  by  the  windings  of  the  river  is 
two  hundred  and  seventy  one  miles,  and  irom  the 
Fond  du  Lac,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  429.  It  is 
but  thirty  miles  by  land  south  to  Leech  Lake,  and  is 
walked  in  the  winter  season,  when  the  swamps  are 
frozen  over,  in  one  day.  It  is  about  one  hundred 
miles  west-northwest,  to  Red  Lake,  where  there  is  a 
band  of  Chippeways  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  war- 
riors ;  and  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles  northwest  to 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  via  Turtle  Portage,  and  the 
Rainy  Lakes ;  but  in  a  direct  line  about  half  that 
distance.    Cassina  Lake,  the  source  of  the  Mist 


2  .'34 

8i8sippi,  is  situated  seventeen  degrees   north    of 
the  Balize  on  the  Gulph  of  Mexico,  and  two  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sevenly-eight  mijes,  pursuing 
the  course  of  the  river.    Estimating  the  distaijce  to 
Lake  La  Beesh,  its  extreme  northwestern  inlet  at  six. 
ty  miies,  which  I  conclude  to  be  within  bounde,  we 
have  a  result  of  three  thousand  and  thirlv-eight  miles 
-    as  the  entire  length  of  this  wonderful  river,  which  ex- 
tends over  the  surface  of  the  earth  in  a  direct  line 
more  than  half  the  distance  from  the  Arctic  CirclJ 
to  the  Equator.    It  is  also  deserving  of  remark,  that 
Its  sources  he  in  a  region  of  almost  continual  winter, 
while  ,t  enters  the  Ocean  under  the  latitude  ofper^ 
petual  verdure;  pnd  at  last,  as  if  disdaining  to  ter- 
lijinate  its  career  at  the  usual  point  of  embouchure 
ot  other  large  rivers,  has  protruded  its  banks  into  the 
Oulf  of  Mexico,  more  than  a  hundred  miles  beyond 
anj  other  part  of  the  main.  To  have  visited  both  the 

fells  to  the  lot  of  few,  and  Helieve  there  is  no  person 
hmng,U,ule  myself,  of  v>hom  th  remark  can  now  be 
made   On  the  JOth  of  July,  I8I9, 1  passed  out  of  the 
mouth  of  tl,e  Mississippi  in  a  brig  bound  for  New» 
York,  aaer  descending  it  in  a  stoam-boat  from  St 
Louis,  and  httle  thinking  i  should  soon  revisit  its  wa-' 
ters ;  yet,  on  the  21st  of  July  of  the  following  year,  I 
found  myself  seated  in  an  Indian  ^anpe,  upon  it. 
source.  i  ' 

In  deciding  upon  the  physicrd  character  of  the 
Mississippi,  it  ,„ay  be  advantageously  considered 
under  four  natural  divisions,  as  indicated  by  the  per- 
manent  differences  in  the  colour  of  its  waters,-.lthc 
geological  character  of  its  bed  and  banks,--its  fori 
^st  trees  and  other  vegetable  production8,~>itd  velo- 


255 


City, — the  difficulties  it  opposes  to  navigation, — ^and 
{)ther  natural  appearances  and  circumstances. 

Originating  in  a  region  of  lakes,  upon  the  'able 
lands,  which  throw  their  waters  north  into  Hudson's 
Bay, — south  into  theGulph  of  Mexico, — and  east  in- 
to the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence — it  pursues  its  course 
to  the  falls  of  Peckagama,  a  distance  of  two  hundred 
and  thirty  miles,  through  a  low  prairie,  covered  with 
wild  rice,  rushes,  sword  grass,  and  other  aquatic 
plants.  During  this  distance,  it  is  extremely  devious 
as  to  course  and  width,  sometimes  expanding  into 
small  lakes,  at  others,  narrowing  into  a  channel  of 
about  eighty  feet.  It  is  about  sixty  feet  wide  on  its 
exit  from  Red  Cedar  or  Cassina  Lake,  with  an  ave- 
rage depth  of  two  feet ;  but  from  the  junction  of  the 
Leech  Lake  fork,  increases  to  a  hundred  feet  in 
width,  with  a  corresponding  increase  of  depth.  Its 
current,  during  this  distance,  is  still  and  gentle  j  and 
its  mean  velocity  may  be  estimated  at  a  mile  and  a 
half  per  hour,  with  a  descent  of  three  inches  per 
mile.  This  is  the  favourite  resort  of  water-fowl,  and 
amphibious  quadrupeds. 

At  the  falls  cf  Peckagama,  the  first  rock  stratum, 
and  the  first  wooded  island,  is  seen.  Here  the 
river  has  a  fall  of  twenty  Heet ;  and  from  this  to  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony,  a  distance  of  six  hundred  and 
eighty-five  miles,  exhibits  its  second  characteristic 
division.  At  the  head  of  the  ialls  of  Peckagama, 
the  prairies  entirely  cease ;  and  below,  a  forest  of 
elm,  maple,  birch,  oak,  and  ash,  overshadows  the 
stream.  The  black  walnut  (juglans  nigra)  is  first 
seen  bdow  Sandy  Lake  river,  and  the  sycamore  be- 
low the  river  De  Cor  beau.  The  river,  in  this  dis- 
taiice^  has  innumerable  well  wooded  islands,  and  re- 


ceives  a  number  oniibutaries,  the  largest  of  which 
IS  the  river  De  Corbeau,  its  great  southwestern  fork. 
The  Pme,  Elic,  Sac,  abd  Crow  rivers,  also  enter 
on  the  west,  and  the  St.  Francis  and  Missisawgaie- 
gon,  on  the  east.     The  course  of  the  river,  although 
serpentine,  is  less  so,  than  above  the  falls  of  Pecka- 
gama,and  its  bends  are  no'  oo  short  and  abrupt.  Its 
mean  width  may  be  estimf  ,ed  at  three  hundred  feet 
until  the  junction  of  the  De  Corbeau,  and  below  that 
at  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards.     I(s  navigation  is  im- 
peded,  agreeably  to  a  memorandum  which  J  imve 
kept,  by  thirty.five  rapids,  nineteen  ripples,  and  two 
muior  falls,  called  the  Little  and  the  Big  Falls,  in  nil  of 
which  the  riverhasan  aggregate  descent  of  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  four  feet  in  fourteen  thousand  six  hun- 
dred andforty  yards,  or  about  eight  miles.  The  mean 
fall  of  the  current,  exclusive  of  the  rapids,  may  be 
computed  at  six  inches  per  mile,  and  its  velocity  at 
three  miles  per  hour.     In  the  course  of  this  distance 
It  receives  several  small  turbid  streams,  and  acquires 
a  brownish  hue,  but  still  preserves  its  transparency 
and  IS  palatable  drii-k-water.    A  few  miles  above 
the  river  De  Corbeau,  on  the  east  side,  we  observe 
the  hrst  dry  prairies,  or  natural  meadows,  and  they 
continue  to  the  falls  of  St.  Antho.iy.     These  prairies 
are  the  great  resort  of  the  buffalo,  elk,  and  deer 
and  arc  the  only  part  of  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi 
where  the  bufllalo  is  now  to  be  found.    Granite  rocks 
appear  at  several  of  the  rapids,  in  rolled  pieces,  and 
HI  beds;  and  in  some  places  attain  an  elevation  of 
one  or  two  hundred  feetabove  the  level  of  the  water, 
but  the  banks  of  the  river  are  generally  alluvial. 

At  the  Fails  of  St.  Anthony,  the  river  has  a  per- 
pendicqlar  pitch  of  forty  feet,  and  from  this  to  its 


237 

junction  with  the  Missouri,  a  distance  of  eight  hun- 
dred  and  foHy  three  miles,  it  is  bounded  by  limestone 
blulls,  which  attain  various  elevations  from  one  to 
four  hundred  leet,  and  present  a  succession  of  the 
most  Bublime  and  picturesque  views.    This  forms  the 
third  characteristic  change  of  the  Mississippi.   The 
river  prairies  cease,  and  the  rocky  bluffs  commence 
precisely  at  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.     Nine  miles  be- 
low  It  receives  the  St.  Peter's  from  the  west,  and  is  suc- 
cessively swelled  on  that  side  by  the  Ocano,  Iowa, 
l  urkey,  Desmoinea,  and  Salt  rivers,  and  on  the  east 
by  the  St.  Croix,  Chippeway,  Black,  Ousconsing, 
Rock,    and   Illinois.      One  hundred  miles  below 
the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  the  river  expands  into  a 
lake,  called  Pepin,  which  is  twenty  four  miles  long 
and  four  in  width.     It  is,  on  issuing  from  this  lake, 
that  the ;  1  ver  first  exhibits,  in  a  striking  manner,  those 
extensive  and  moving  sand  bars,  innumerable  islands 
and  channels,  and  drifts  and  snags,  which  continue  to 
characterize  it  to  the  ocean.  Its  bends  from  this  point 
onward  are  larger,  and  its  course  more  direct-  and 
although  its  waters  ore  adulterated  by  several  dark 
coloured  and  turbid  streams,  it  may  still  be  consi- 
dered transparent.     The  principal  impediments  to 
navigation  in  this  distance  are  the  Desmoine,  and 
Rock  river  rapids.     The   latter  extends  six  miles, 
,  and  opposes  an  effectual  barrier  to  steam-boat  navi- 
gation, although  keel  boats  and  barges  of  the  largest 
class,  may  ascend.     This  rapid  is  three  hundred  and 
ninety  miles  above  St.  Louis. 

The  fourth  change  in  the  physical  aspect  of  this 
river  is  at  the  junction  of  the  Missouri,  and  this  is  a 
total  and  complete  one,  the  character  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi being  enUrely  lost  in  that  ©f  the  Miasourk 

33 


n':i 


If 


7.    t  .' 


ii'l 


2.08 

The  latter  is,  hi  fact,  macli  the  largest  stream  of  tht* 
two,  and  carries  its  characteristic  appearances  to 
the  ocean.     It  sliould  also  have  carried  the  name, 
but  its  exploration  took  place   too  long  after  the 
course  of  the  Mississippi  had  been  perpetuated  in 
the  written  geography  of  the  country,  to  render  an 
alteration  in  this  respect,  either  practicable  or  expe- 
dient.    The  waters  of  the  Mississippi  at  iis  conflu- 
ence with  the  Missouri,  arc  moderately  clear,  and 
ofa  greenish  hue. — The  Missouri  is  turbid  and opake, 
of  a  greyibh-whit2  colour,    end  during  its  floods, 
which  happen  twice  a  year,  communicates,  almost 
instantaneously,  to  the  combined  stream  its  predo- 
minating qualities,  but  towards  the  close  of  the  sum- 
mer season,  when  it  is  at  its  lowest  stage  of  water,  the 
streams  do-  not  fully  incorporate  for  twenty  or  thirty 
miles,  but  preserve  opposite  sides  of  the  river;  and 
C  have  observed  this  phenomenon  at  the   town  of 
Herculaneum,  wliich  is  forty-eight  miles  below  the 
junction.     Tlie  water  in  this  part  of  the  river  cannot 
be  drank  until  it  has  been  set  aside  to  allow  the  mud 
to  settle.     The  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
souri to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  is  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles,  in  tht    Durse  of  which  it  re- 
ceives from  the  west,  the  Merrimack,  St.   Francis, 
White,  Arkansas,  and  Red  rivers  ;  and  from  the  east, 
the  Kfisfcaskia,  Great  Muddy, Ohio,  Wolf,  and  Yazoo. 
This  \\Mi  of  the  river  is  more  particularly  charac- 
terized by  snags  and  sawyers, — ialling-in  banks  and 
islands; — sand  bars  and  mud  banks;— -and  a  channel 
which  is  shifting  by  every  flood,  and  of  such  extreme 
velocity,  that  it  waaJbrmerly  thought  it  could  not  be 
navigated  by  vessels  propelled  with  sails.  Subsequent 
experience  has  shown  thip  conjecture  to  be  unlbun- 


Himf 


^59 


ded,  ^Uhough  a  strong  >\ind  is  required  for  its  ascent. 
It  is  daily  navigated  in  ships  of  from  four  hun- 
dred to  eight  hundred  tons  burden,  from  the  Ba- 
lize  to  New  Orleans,  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
miles,  and  could  be  ascended  liigher  were  it  neces- 
sary ;  but  the  commerce  of  the  river  above  New  Or- 
leans is  now  carried  on,  in  a  great  measure,  by  steam- 
boats.    Tiie  width  of  the  river  opposite  St.  Lpuis 
is  one  mile  j  i^t  ;s  somewhat  less  at  New  Orleans, 
and  still  less  aj  its  disembochure.     A  bar  at  its 
mouth  prevent3  ships  drawing  more  than  eighteen 
feet  water  from  entering.    This  river  is  occupied  by 
different  bands  of  the  Chippcway  Indians  from  its 
sources,  to  the  Buffalo  Plains  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
upper  St.  Francis,  the  precise  limit  being  a  matter 
of  dispute,  and  the  cause  of  the  long  war  between 
them  and  the  Sioux.    The  Sioux  bands  claim  from 
thence  to  the  Prarie  du  Chein,  and  the  Foxes  and 
Sacs  to  the  river  Desmoines.     From  this  vicinity  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico  the  Indian  title  has  been  ex- 
tinguished by  the  United  States  Government  cither 
thrcugh  purchase,  treaty,  or  conquest,  and  we  have 
npw  the  complete  control  of  this  river  and  all  its 
triljutary  streams,  with  the  exception  pf  the  upper 
part  of  Red  River.    The  wild  rice,  (^zesania  agua^ 
tica,)  is  notfbundon  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi 
southoftheforty.first  degree  of  north  latitude,  nor 
the  Indian  reed,  or  cane,  north  of  the  thirty-eighth. 
These  two  productions  characterize  the  extremes  of 
this  river,    ii  has  been  observed  by  McKenzie,  that 
the  former  is  hardly  known,  or  at  least,  docF  not 
come  to  IP  cu/.cy,  north  of  the  fiflieth  degree  of 
north  lati.ido; .    The  alligator  is  first  seen  below 
the  junction  of  the  Arkansas.     The  paro(|uet  h 


!  , 


im^ 


860 

found  M  far  north  as  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  and 
flocks  have  occasionally  bi»en  seen  as  high  as  Chi- 
cago.    The  name  of  this  river  is  derived  from  the 
Algonquin  language,  one  of  the  original  tongues  of 
our  continent,  which  is  now  spoken  neariy  in  its 
primeval  purity  by  the  diflferent  bands  of  Chippe, 
ways  ;— less  so  by  the  Knistiwcaux  and  Oteways  j— 
with  great  corruptions  by  the  Foxes,  Sacs,  and  Pot- 
to watomies,  and  some  other  tribes ;— and  in  various 
dialects  by  the  five  bands  of  Iroquois  m  New-York. 
It  is  a  compound  of  the  word  Mssi,  Bigjiifying  great, 
and  S«p<'   s  river.      The  former  is  variously  pronoun- 
ced miwiV  or  mtcAi'A  as  in  Michilimackinac  i^michi 
as  in  Michigan  j-JtfiwM—as  in  Missouri ;— and  miwt, 
as  in  Mississineway,  and  Mississippi.     The  variation 
does  lot  appeal?  greater  than  we  should  expect  in  an 
unwritten  language.      They  have  no  other  word 
to  express  the  highest  degree  of  magnitude  either 
in  a  moral  cr  physical  sejise,  and  it  may  be  consid- 
ered as  synonymous  not  only  widi  our  word  great, 
but  also,    magnificent, — supreme, — stupendous,— 

sublime,— enormous,— exteiisive,—prodigiou8,-^am^ 
pie,  &c.— words  which  are  certainly  not  synony- 
mous, in  our  language,  but  have  only  one  term 
by  which  they  c^n  be  translated  into  theirs. 
The  word  Sippi,  may  be  considered  as  the  English 
pronunciation,  (derived  through  the  medium  of  the 
French)  of  Sepe.snu}  affords  an  instance  of  an  Indian 
term,  of  much  melody,  being  corrupted  by  Europe- 
ans, into  one  that  has  a  harsh  and  hissing  3ound. 

No  attempt  has  heretofore  been  made  to  deter- 
mine the  elevation  of  that  part  of  the  American  con- 
tinent which  gives  origin  to  the  Mississippi,  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  the  Red  River  of  the  North;— 


26  i 

<ind  from  the  immense  distance  of  this  summit  level 
from  the  ocean,  and  the  difficulties  that  must  attend 
thesurvey,  it  is  probable  that  many  years  mayelapse 
before  this  point  will  be  determined  by  actual  ob- 
servation.      With  a  view,  however,  of  approaching 
the  probable  altitude,  I  have  estimated  from  the 
best  data  I  could  command,  the  descent  of  the  dif- 
ferent rapids,— streams,  and  falls  in  the  whole  route, 
with  the  elevation  of  the  highlands  which  separate 
the  waters  of  Lake  Superior  from  those  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi,- and  the  descent  of  the  streams  flowing  into 
the  latter;    and  1  shall  here  present  the  results  of 
these  ob8ervatio«i»      The  estimates  have  always 
been  made  upon  the  spot,  and  noted  in  a  particular 
book  kept  for  that  purpose,  and  I  have  made  it  a  con- 
»tant  practice  to  avail  myself  of  the  judgment  of  the 
members  of  the  expedition,  in  deciding  npon  the 
mean  velocity  of  streams,— the  heights  of  falls  and 
rapids,  and  the  elevation  of    highlands;  and  feel 
particularly  indebted  to  the  observations  of  Gov 
Caps,  and  Doct.  Wolcott.    Taking  the  elevation  of 
Lake  Erie  as  determined  by  the  actual  survey  of  the 
New- York  Canal  Comm-ssioners  for  a  basis,  we  find 
the  surface  of  Lake  Superior  lo  be  six  hundred  and 
forty-one  feet  above  the  Atlantic  ocean.     From  the 
head  of  this  lake,  following  up  the  St.  Louis  river  to 
the  Savannah  portage,  and  from  thence  across  the 
dividing  ground,  to  the  spot  where  we  first  strike  the 
waters  of  the  Mississippi,  at  the  head  of  the  west 
Savannah,  the  aggregate  elevation,  (as  detailed  in 
Chap.  8,)  may  be  estimated  at  five  hundred  and  fif- 
ty feet.  The  descent  of  this  stream  into  Sandy  Lake, 
and  from  thence  into  the  Mississippi  river,  as  given 
at  page  235,  will  reduce  thia  eetimate  by  the  sum  of 


2<S2 

•ixly  feet.    From  the  junction  of  Sandy  Lake  river, 
to  the  principal  source  of  the  Mississippi  in  Cassi- 
na  lake,  we  attain  an  elevation  agreeaMy  to  the  an- 
nexed schedule*  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  feet, 
which  superadded  to  the  former  estimates,  shews  the 
Mississippi  river  to  originate  at  an  altitude  of  thirteen 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  above  the  Atlantic.  This  is  thirty 
feet  higher  than  the  Alleghany  mountains  in  Penn- 
sylvania, but  less  by  two  hundred  and  fifty  leet,  than 
the  highest  peak  (New  Beacon)  of  the  Highlands  of 
the  Hudscn.      What  the  descent  of  the  river  La 
Beesh,  the  principal  inlet  of  Cassina  lake,  may  be, 
we  cannot  determine,  as  we  have  not  explored  that 
sti-eam,  but  the  Indians  represent  it  to  have  many 
rapids.    Taking  the  longth  of  the  Mississippi,  how- 
ever, from  Cassina  lake,  to  the  ocean,  this  result  will 
give  it  a  mean  descent  of  two  feet,  2  |f|4  inqhes 
per  mile,  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  and  Lake  Pqpin, 
inclusive, — for  what  the  estimate  would  loose  by  th^ 
terpendicular  pilch  of  the  former,  is  compensated 
'  the  dead  level  of  twenty-four  miles  in  the  latter. 


*  DESCENT  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI: 

Rapids  above  the  junction  of  Sandy  Lal^e  river 

numbered  from  1  to  J,  eoe  Day  LIV.  29 

Rapid  No.  7,  3  31 

Rapid  No.  8,  j  33 

Rapid  No.  9i  l6  49 

Falls  of  Peckagaraa,  20  C^ 

Mean  descent  of  the  Miasissippi  from  Cassina 

lake  to  the  falls  of  Peckagania,  170  miles,  at 

3  inches  per  mile,  43.9         iii.(, 

Mean  fall  of  the  Mississippi  from  the  falls  of 

Peckaj^ama  to  the  junction  of  Sandy  Lake 

riirer,  10?  miles,  at  6  inches  pet  mile,  51  163 


263 

To  those  who  are  conversant  with  the  hj'drography 
of  rivers,  this  result  will  communicate  a  better  notion 
of  the  rapidity  of  the  Mississippi,  than  the  most  la- 
boured description  of  the  difficulties  of  its  ascent— 
I  am  not  aware  of  any  fallacies  in  these  calculations, 
but  think  they  have  generally  been  made  within 
bounds,  and  that  whenever  the  altitude  is  determin- 
ed by  scientific  measurement  it  will  be  found  to  ex- 
ceed the  present  result. 

There  is  no  part  of  the  Mississippi  river  which 
originates  in  the  territories  of  British  America.     The 
northern  boundary   line  of  the  United  States  will 
probably  run  a  hundred  miles  north  of  its  extreme 
source ;  but  this  is  a  point  which  still  remains  unset- 
tled between  the  two  governments,  and  some  diffi- 
culties, it  is  apprehended,  may  prevent  a  ready  ad- 
justment of  this  line.    The  treaty  of  17«3  whicb  de- 
signates the  limits  of  the  United  States,  fixes  the 
northern  boundary  as  a  line  drawn  through  the 
great  chain  of  lakes  to  the  head  of  Lake  Superior, 
thence  by  the  most  practicable  water  communica- 
tion to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  and  from  its  most 
northwestern  extremity  due  west  to  the  Mississippi. 
It  is  well  ascertained  that  a  line  drawn  due  west 
from  the  northwestern  extremity  of  the  Lake  of  the 
Woods,  would  not  strike  the  sources  of  the  Missis- 
sippi.    McKenzie  states  tlie  northwestern  point  of 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods  to  lie  in  north  latitude  49* 
37',  and  west  longitude  from  Greenwich,  94°  31'. 

Mr.  Thompson,  the  Astronomer  to  the  Northwest 
Company,  determined  the  latitude  of  Red  Cedar  or 
Ca8sinalaketobe47°38'j  which  is  not,  however, 
presumed  to  be  entirely  correct.  The  great  north- 
ern bend  of  the  Missouri  is  laid  down  by  Lewis  and 


* 


I 


2fi4 

Clni  k  in  north  latitude  47°  32',  and  the  river  above 
that  point  is  described  as  running  «t>r«7i  of  west,  so 
that  a  line  drawn  in  the  manner  directed,  from  the 
Lake  of  the  Woods,  would  not  strike  either  of  these 
streams.  This  was  anticipated  at  the  conclu  on  of 
Jaj^'s  treaty  in  1794,  but  nothing  further  was  agreed 
upon  in  this  respect,  than  that  the  line  should  be  es- 
tablished by  a  negociation,  according  to  the  spirit  of 
the  former  treaty,  to  the  principles  of  justice,  and 
the  mutual  convenience  of  the  parties.  No  provision 
is  made  for  it  in  the  treaty  of  Ghent. 

Some  difficulty  appears  also  to  exist  as  to  the  true 
construction  of  that  part  of  the  treaty  which  re- 
quires a  line  to  be  drawn  from  the  head  of  Lake  Su- 
perior by  the  most  practicable  water  communication 
to  the  lake  of  the  woods.     There  are  two  grand 
routes  of  communication  pursued  by  the  north  west 
traders,  namely;—!.  Byway  of  the  Grande  Portage, 
commencing  on  the  north  shore  of  lake  Superior, 
four  hundred  and  eighty  miles  from  the  Sault  de  St. 
iVlarie,  which  leads  through  a  succession  of  small 
lakes  to  the  Rainy  lakes,  and  thence  to  the  Lake  of 
the  Woods:— 2.  By  the  St.  Louis  river  and  Savan- 
nah  Portage  into  Sandy  Lake  and  the  Mississippi,  and 
thence  through  lake  Winnipeo  and  across  the  Turtle 
Portage  into  the  Rainy  lakes,  or,— by  following  op  the 
St.  Louis  to  its  source  which  is  near  the  borders  of 
the  little  Rainy  lake.     The  first  route  has  long  been 
the  tlioroughfare  of  ihe  northwest  company,  and  al- 
though less  travelled  now  than  formerly,  is  the  most 
direct,  expeditious, and  practicable  route;  and  was 
the  only  one  in  use  at  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty.— 
The  United  States  claim  this  as  the  northern  bounda- 
ry, and  it  hasaccordingly  obtained  upon  all  our  maps. 


itB5 

In  the  maps  of  the  north  west  company-,  however,  the 
line  18  drawn  through  the  St.  Louis  river.  The  terri- 
torjr  ,n  dispute  is  equal  in  extent  to  any  of  the  origin, 
f  v^'  «f  theconfederation,  Virginia,  Pennsylvania, 
and  New-York  excepted.  This  part  of  the  bounda- 
ry  w,II  come  under  the  cognizance  of  the  commiB- 
sioners  appointed  under  the  treaty  of  Ghent 

FindL^  it  impracticable  to  proceed  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  .n  canoes  to  lake  La  Beesh,  an  immedi- 
ate  return  was  here  determined  upon,  and  we  em- 
barked  at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on  our  de- 
scent. Crosfling  the  Kke  we  passed  down  the  Mis- 
sissippi eighteen  miles  and  encamped  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river  at  twilight.  * 

LX.  Day   (/«/y  22rf.)-.Quitting  our  encampment 
before  day  light,  we  reached  lake  Winnipec  at  eight 
o  clock  and  performed  the  traverse  against  a  strong 
head  wind.    This  occupied  two  hoursTduring  wWch 
our  canoes  were  violently  tossed   upon  the  waves, 
and  the  voyageurs  manifested  some  apprehensions 
for  our  safety.      Entering  the  outlet  of  this  lake 
which  IS  the  Mississippi,  we  left  our  encampment  of 
the  20th  on  our  right,  and  successively  passing  little 
Winnipec   or  Rush  lake,  and  the  confluence    of 
Leech  lake  river,  we  descended  to  within  ten  miles 
01  the  spot  of  our  encampment  on  the  19th,  having 
progressed  altogether  a  distance  of  ninety-eigh! 
miles.    In  the  course  of  the  day  we  passed  nine  In- 
dian canoes  on  their  ascent.     They  were  freighted 
with  rolls  of  birch  bark,  of  the  kiijj  empS  fir 
canoes,  and  with  bundles  of  rushes  of  which  they 
manufacture  matte  for  bedding  and  for  covering  their 

34 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


A 


S^ 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


us 

Ui 


2.0 


U    1IIIII.6 


/I 


<^%^^^>> 


v: 


%^^ 


m 

M 


15L- 


Sdences 
Coloration 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  87a-*503 


'% 


^i}6 


wigwams.      The  weather  Continued  cloudy/  ivlth 
wind,  and  occasional  showers  of  rain.  ^ 

LXr.  Day. — {July  23d.) — Between  our  sUfierings 
from  the  stings  of  the  musquitocs,  and  our  anxiety  to 
rejoin  our  friends  at  Sandy  lake,  we  obtained  lit- 
tle rest,  and  decamped  at  a  quarter  past  four  in 
the  morning.  We  reached  the  falls  of  Peckagama 
at  one  o'clock,  and  spent  forty  minutes  in  crossing 
the  portage  with  our  baggage  and  canoes.  We  now 
successively  passed  the  Prairie  ahd  Trout  rivers,  and 
proceeded  twenty-eight  miles  below  our  encamp< 

ment  of  the   1 8th,   distance  niiietyHei^ht  miles. 

Weather  cloudy,,  with  rain.  During  the  forenoon  we 
met  a  canoe  of  Chippeways  on  their  ascent,  and 
passing  with  I'a'pidity,  merely  exchanged  the  com- 
mon salutation  of  bon  jour^  a  term  thfey  hav«  bor- 
rowed from  the  French.  Towards  evenmg,  an  an- 
imal of  singular  appearance,  supposed  to  be  the 
Wolverine,  wa&seen  swiniming  across  the  river,  but 
our  efforts  to  take  it  proved  unavailing.  Such  are 
the  incidents  of  a  voyage  in  this  remote  region^ 

LXII.  T)\Y.—(JuIy  24/^,)— A  change  of  wind  took 
place  during  the  night,  and  we  were  favoured  with 
the  most  delightful  weather.  Proceeding  under  the 
double  influence  of  a  strong  current  and  the  force 
of  our  paddles,  we  progressed  with  surprising  rapidi- 
ty, and  at  two  o'clock  in  the  allernoon  landed  at  the 
Southwest  Company's  Fort  on  Sandy  lake,  a  distance 
of  seventy-two  rfiiles,  having  performed  on  our  re- 
turn, the  same  distance  in  three  days,  which  we 
were  occupied  four  and  a  half  in  ascending.  We 
were  rejoiced  to  find  our  friends  in  perfect  health, 


26: 


\  ■  '■ 

sufferings 
r  anxiety  to 
>tained  lit- 
ast  jfbor  in 
^eckagama 
in  crossing 
i>  We  now 
rivers,  and 
r  encamp- 
it  miles. — 
•rsnoon  we 
scent,  and 
I  the  com- 
'  hav«  bor- 
ng,  an  an- 
to  be  the 
river,  but 

Such  are 
^gion^ 

wind  took 
ured  with 
under  the 
the  force 
ing  rapid  i- 
Eled  at  the 
a  distance 
•n  our  re- 
which  we 
ling.  We 
;ct  health, 


and  that  no  attempts  had  been  made  by  the  savages, 
during  our  absence,  to  molest  them.     A  pleasure, 
scarcely  less  satisfactory  in  its  nature,  arose  from  the 
termination  of  a  part  of  our  voyage,  which  had  ap- 
peared to  us  to  present  greater  difficulties  in  its  ac- 
complishment, and  less  in  its  character  mv\  produc- 
tions to  reward  exploration,  than  any  other  section 
of  the  tour;  and  in  fact,  we  have  neither  found  the 
labour  less,  nor  the  reward  greater,  than  was  antici- 
pated.   Barren  in  its  geological  character  and  phys- 
ical productions,  the  incidents  of  the  tour  have  of- 
fered little  to  compensate  the  want  of  zoological  in- 
terest, picturesque  views,  and  populous  Indian  set- 
tlements:— and  a  number  of  circumstances  have 
concurred  to  render  our  situation  on  this  visit,  one 
of  peculiar  privation,  fatigue,  and  physical  suffering. 
Not  the  least  among  these,  have  been  the  calls  of  an 
unsatisfied  appetite,  the  stings  of  the  musquito,  and 
the  almost  incessant  motion  of  travelling,  depriving  us 
of  due  rest  at  night.  By  this  vigilance,  however — by 
this  constant  hurry  on  vard— by  dismissing  the  great- 
est part  of  our  baggage,  and  the  few  conveniences 
we  had  thus  far  carried — by  stinting  ourselves  as  to 
provi8ions,and  by  leaving  the  weight  of  the  expedition 
at  Sandy  lake,  we  have  performed  the  voyage  in  less 
than  half  the  time  it  would  otherwise  have  requir- 
ed, and  in  less  time  than  it  has  ever,  as  we  are  told 
by  the  voyageurs,  been  before  performed. 

The  state  of  the  weather  during  our  absence  has 
presented  several  striking  transitions,  in  regard  to 
the  distribution  of  heat,  as  well  as  the  transparency 
of  the  atmosphere,  winds,  rain,  &c.  Having  left  my 
thermometer  with  Mr.  Doty,  during  the  time  of  our 
journey  to  the  sources  ot  the  Mississippi,  he  favoured 


me  with  the  following  obserirations,  made  at  the 
Companjr'g  Fort. 

Meteorological  Register  kept  at  Sandy  Lake. 


8ANUY 
LAKE, 

1830. 
July  ly 


18 


Atm.  Temp. 


A.  W.|  P.  M.' 


mi\  8 


|r6|ao 


Sli84|66  53)50 


8 


9 


79\tk 


I_9[46(t1|y0|55[ 


MeM> 

temp. 


78 


aO;60|H()|84|y5| 


31 


22 


S3 


68  86188185174 


r3|88|9()|ry[ 


24  7 


7mmrB\ 


JL 

.58 


WEATHER. 


Morning  rain— then  fair. 


Fair. 


n 


80 


82 


79 


iii5@Z!rl~8» 


Wight  rain— momingr  cloudy^tlien  cJeaT 


Cigar— aome  thunder. 


Night  and  morn,  rain— aftcrniwn  Umndcr 
Fair.    (Broke  thermometer.^        ' 


|8)589l 

7s\  mean  daily  temperature. 


\  • 


^-M- 


-AS:.tMf*V^ 


CHAPTER  X. 
J  O  V  RJVE  Yj 

FROM  SAJ^DY  LAKE  TO  TRE  AMERICAJ^  GARRISOJf  JIT 

ST.  PETEB^S. 


tH/t* 


rnwa  tliunder. 


LXIIL  Day.— (/tt/y  25/^) 

The  expedition  embarked  at  the  Fort  at  twelve 
o*clock,in  three  canoes  and  a  barge  on  its  desc4JU  to 
the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  accompanied  bj  embassa- 
dors of  peace  from  the  Chippcway  tribes  to  the  Si- 
oux of  St.  Peter's.    These  occupied  a  separate  ca-. 
noe.     It  is  three  miles  from  the  Fort  to  the  Missis- 
sippi.   The  current  of  the  river  below  the  outlet  of 
Sandy  lake,  and  the  natural  appearances,  are  similar 
to  what  it  exhibits  for  a  hundred  miles  above.     The 
banks  are  alluvial,  elevated  from  six  to  ten  feet; 
trees— elm,  maple,  pine,  and  birch.     We  descended 
twenty-eight  miles  and  encamped  on  a  high  sandy 
bank  on  the  west  shore.    The  river  has  several  ra- 
pids in  that  distance,  and  some  small  islands  covered 
entirely  with  grass,  and  small  tufts  of  willows,  with 
piles  of  driftwood  collected  at  their  heads.    No 
rock  strata  appear,  but  loose  stones  of  granite,  horn- 
blende, and  red  ferruginous  quartz,  are  seen  in  the 
bed  of  the  stream  in  passing  over  the  rapids,  and  in 
9ome  places,  along  the  margin  of  the  river.    Among 


270 

the  forest  trees,  pine  appears  to  predominate  on  tlie 
lands  which  lie  a  distance  off  the  river,  but  ehn  is 
moat  abundant  along  the  shore;  maple  and  birch 
less  so,  and  black  walnut  and  oak  sparing.  The  co- 
lour of  the  water  on  looking  into  the  river  resembles 
that  of  chocolate,  but  on  dipping  up  a  cup  full,  it 
appears  colourless  and  clear.  The  weather  remain- 
cd  fair  and  pleasant  during  the  day,  but  clouded  up 
towards  evening. 

LXIV.  Day— (/w/y  267A.)— It  commenced  raining 
during  the  night,  and  as  we  had  neglected  to  have 
our  tents  pitched,  we  were  first  awoke  by  the  falling 
lairKf  and  during  the  intervals  of  the  showers,  the 
riiusquitoes  assailed  us  in  such  numbers,  as  to  for- 
bid the  hope  of  rest.     In  this  situation  we  passed 
the  remainder  of  the  night,  around  our  fires,  en- 
deavouring to  divert  our  reflections,  by  the  inter- 
diange  of  anecdote,  and  absolutely  prevented  from 
falling  asleep  by  the  labour  of  brushing  away  the 
voracious  hordes  of  musquitoes,  which  unceasingly 
beset  us  with  «ieir  stings,  and  poured  forth  their  hate- 
ful and  incessani  buzzing  upon  our  ears.    It  certaiq- 
fy  requires  a  different  species  of  philosophy  to  with- 
stand, undisturbed,  the  attacks  of  this  ravenous  in- 
sect, from  that  which  we  are  called  upon  to  exer- 
cise upon  the  sudden  occurrence  of  any  of  the  great 
calamities  and  misfortunes  of  life.      He  who  is  af- 
flicted, without    complaining,   by    an    unexpected 
change  of  fortune,  or  the  death  of  a  iriend,  may  be 
thrown  into  a  fit  of  restless  impatience  by  the  slings 
of  the  musquito ;    and  the  traveller  who  is  prepared 
to  withstand  the  savage  scalping  knife,  and  the  ep. 


2fl 

faged  bear,  has  nothing  to  oppose  to  the  attacks  of 
an  enemy,  which  is  too  minute  to  be  dreaded,  and  too 
numerous  to  be  destroyed. 

We  embarked  a  few  moments  before  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  the  atmosphere  being  misty  and 
dark,  and  the  weather  cloudy,  which  eventuated  in 
rain  before  six  o'clock.  It  ceased  again  as  the  sun 
approached  the  meridian,  and  the  weather  was  clear 
and  delightful  at  noon.  A  few  minutes  before  eight 
o'clock  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  River  au  Sole  (Al- 
der river)  a  stream  of  twenty  yards  wide  entering 
on  the  right  shore.  In  the  afternoon  we  passed  four 
streams  of  considerable  size,  entering  on  the  left 
shore,  at  short  distances  from  each  other — nameft 
unknown ;  and  at  half  past  seven  in  the  evening 
passed  the  mouth  of  Pine  river,  a  stream  of  sixty 
yards  wide,  flowing  from  the  west  This  river  is  a  hun- 
dred and  forty  miles  in  length,  expanding  in  that  dis- 
tance into  several  small  lakes,  which  communicate 
with  the  waters  of  Leech  lake.  In  ascending  it  the 
Indians  pursue  the  following  route.  It  is  one  day'» 
journey  into  White  Fish  lake,  whicfe  is  six  miles 
long  and  two  in  width— then  five  miles  to  lake 
Poppenosh,  which  is  three  miles  long  by  one 
in  width— then  three  miles  to  a  third  lake,  which 
is  seven  miles  long  and  two  in  width.  From  this 
it  is  a  short  distance  to  Caspetawgan,  or  Tobacco- 
pouch  Lake,  which  is  five  miles  in  circumference, 
and  nearly  circular,  from  which  it  is  one  day's  joupf 
ney  into  a  fifth  lake — thence  two  day's  to  a  port- 
age, which  conveys  you  to  the  sixth  lake,  from 
which  there  are  several  short  portages  from  lake  to 
lake  until  you  arrive  at  Leech  Lake.    The  whole  of 


J27e 

this  distance  in  a  succession  of  pine  ridges  and 
swamps,  aiid  the  Indians  affirm  that  one  half  of  the 
land  js  covered  with  lakes.      There  is  an  island  in 
the  mouth  of  Pine  river,  well  timbered  with  pine, 
eini,  and  maple,  and  a  rapid  in  the  Mississippi  river 
a  short  distance  below,  at  the  foot  of  which  we  en- 
camped, on  a  high  bank  on  the  east  shore,  having  de- 
scended one  hundred  miles.    In  the  course  of  this 
dajr's  journejr,  the  river  has  presented  several  ra- 
pids,  islands,  and  ripples.     The  fail  at  none  of  th« 
rapids  will  exceed   six  feet  in  a  distance  of  three 
hundred  yunh.    The  islands  are  small  and  not  well 
wooded,  and  are  encumbered  with  piles  of  drifted 
trees,  limbs,  and  leaves,  which  give  them  a  novel 
appearance,  ai.J  at  the  same  time  serve  to  convey 
an  idea  of  the  rise  of  the  river,  and  of  the  force  of 
Its  current,  during  its  semi-annual  floods.    Snags  be- 
come  more  frequent  in  this  part  of  the  channel ;  and 
the  river  in  several  places  undermines  its  banks, 
which  are  elevated  from  ten  to  twenty  f^-t,  and  bear 
a  forest  of  elm,  birch,  pine,    maple,  black  wal- 
nut, and  oak  (quercus  nigra.)      Loose  stones  are 
found  at  all  the  rapids  j    they  are  chiefly  referable 
to  the  different  varieties  of  granite,  hornblende,  slate, 
and  sand  stone      Ducks,  the  teal,  and  the  plover, 
have  been  observed  j^also,  the  bald  eagle,  king- 
hsher,  mock  bird,  robin,  and  pigeon.     As  night  ap- 
proached, we  heard,  for  the  first  time  in  the  region, 
the    whipporwill,  which  is  called  by   the  Indians 
Muck^wiss,  being  the  sounds,  according  to  thei"  no- 
tions, which  it  utters.      Among  the  plants,  at  the 
spot  of  our  encampment,  we  noticed   the  wild  rose 
(rom  parviftom)  and  a  flower,  resembling  in  some  of 
Its  characters  the  ipomaea  nil,  but  with  a  short  flo- 


273 

riferous  aleqa,  apd  lance^blong  leave»:   pedunde 
one.flowered,  belLshapcd,  white,  downy.  It  appears 
to  have  escaped  the  notice  of  Pursh,  in  his  botanical 
researches  in  the  northwest.    W^  also,  during  this 
day  8  journey,  first  noticed  the  common  red  barking 
Bqmrrel,  which,  invited  from  its  nest,  by  the  beauty 
of  the  weather  during  the  afternoon,  has  been  fre- 
quently  observed  playing  among  the  branches  of  the 
black    walnut,   and  other   favourite  trees.     This 
sprightly  little  animal  is  equally  entitled  to  our  ad- 
miration from  the  beauty  of  its  form  and  the  agiUty 
of  jts  movements ;    and  there  is  no  person  who  h^ 
visited  an  American  forest  during  the  summer  sear 
son,  either  as  a  sportsman  or  an  admirer  of  nature, 
who  IS  not  ready  to  acknowledge  how  much  this 
pretty  and  playful  little  quadruped  contributes  to  en- 
liven  an<l  beautify  the  scene.      There  are  several 
species  of  this  animal  in  the  forests  of  the  Mississip- 
pi,  and  other  parts  of  the  United  States.    They  are 
all  referable  to  the  natural  genus  sciurus,  in  the 
Linneean  system,  the  generic  characters  of  which  are 
two  fore  teeth  in  each  jaw,  the  upper  ones  wedge- 
shaped  and  cutters  like  those  of  the  beaver;  the  infe- 
rior ones  sharp-pointed,  like  those  of  the  dog  and  wolf. 
Some  of  the  species  of  this  genus,  however,  have 
their  fore  and  hind  legs  connected  by  a  thin  mem- 
brane covered  with  hair  by  means  of  which  they  are 
enabled  to  support  themselves  in  the  air  while  leap- 
ing  from  one  tree  to  another.  Naturalists  have  seized 
upon  this  character  to  separate  the  genus  into  two  di- 
visions; distinguishing  those  which  possess  the  mem- 
brane petauri,  or  flying-squirrels,  and  those  without 
It  sctun  scadenies,  or  climbing  squirrels.    The  sped- 

35 


274 


fie  name  of  the  common  red  squirrel  is  sciurus  vul- 
garis. 


\    t 


LXV.  DAY.-.(/tt/y  27/A.)--There    was  a   heavy 
faH  of  dew  during  the  night,  and  a  foggy  atmosphere 
at  early  day  light,  but  the  sun  arose  clear,  and  the 
day  continued  pleasant,  with  the  exception  of  the 
oppressive  heat  at  noon.    We  quit  our  encampment 
at  five  o'clock.     The  pine  lands  which  commenced 
yesterday  at  the  junction  of  Pine  river  with  the  Mis- 
sissipi,  continued  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
mouth    of  the    river    De    Corbeau.      They   are 
elevated  from  sixty   to  a  hundred  feet,  and  lie  in 
ridges.     The  principal  timber  is  the  yellow  pine. — 
Mixed  with  the  sand  which  is  in  some  places  nak^, 
and  destitute  of  vegetation,  are  fragments  of  granite, 
hornblende,  quartz,  jasper,  and   carnelian.      This 
«trip  of  sandy  country  was  denominated   the  Dead 
Pines  by  Pike.     At  twelve  o'clock  we  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  river  De  Corbeau,  the  largest  stream 
which  has  yet  entered  the  Mississippi,  and  by  which 
a  communication  is  maintained  with  the  Red  river. 
H  is  ascended  by  the  traders  a  hundred  and  eighty 
toiles  to  the  mouth  of  the  Pemmisco,  or  Go-Sy-waler 
river,  which  flows  in  fiom  the  north  west.     This  is 
also  ascended  a  like  distance,  and  a  portage  of  two 
pauses  then  made  into  Otter  Tail  Lake,  which  has 
a  navigable  outlet  into  Red  River,  of  which  it  is  in- 
deed, one  of  the  principal  sources.    The  south  fork 
of  the  De  Corbeau  originates  near  the  sources  of 
the  St.  Peter's,  and  the  Indians  are  in  the  practice  of 
passing  that  way  in  canoes.     The  river  De  Corbeau 
joins  the  Mississippi  in  north  latitude  45°  49*  50"  and  is 
the  largest  tributary  which  it  receives  above  the  falls 


273 


of  St  Anthonj,  being  nearly  of  equal  magnitude. — 
The  lands  upon  its  banks  are  rich,  and  covered 
with  a  heavy  growth  of  hard  wood,  chiefly  elm,  su- 
gar tree,  black  walnut,  and  oak.  At  the  point  of 
junction  there  is  a  large  and  well  wooded  island 
called  the  Isle  De  Corbeau,  by  which  the  river 
is  hid  from  the  view  until  you  have  nearly  passed 
it,  when  by  turning  the  eye  towards  the  south, 
you  have  a  fine  view  of  its  broad  and  beautiful  sur* 
face,  and  the  luxuriant  foliage  which  overshadows 
its  banks.  The  Mississippi  assumes  an  increased 
width  below,  and  is  particularly  characterized  by 
numerous  and  heavy  timbered  islands^  all  of  which 
present  immense  driAs  of  floodwood  at  their  heads, 
and  by  dividing  the  river  into  a  number  of  channels, 
serve  to  increase  its  width,  and  th^  diflficulties  of  its 
navigation.  Here  also,  the  Buffalo  Plains  com- 
mence, and  continue  downward,  on  both  banks  of 
the  river,  to  the  falls  of  St.  Anthc  y.  These  plains 
are  elevated  about  sixty  feet  above  the  summer-level 
of  the  water,  and  consist  of  a  sandy  alluvion  cov- 
ered with  rank  grass,  and  occasional  clumps  of  the 
dwarf  black  oak.  They  generally  present  steep, 
naked,  and  falling-in  banks  towards  the  river,  and 
disclose  innumerable  small  fragments  of  carnelian, 
agate,  and  jasper,  along  with  masses  of  coarser 
rock,  such  as  granite,  hornblende,  &c. 

We  descended  the  river  a  distance  of  ninety 
miles,  having  been  eleven  hours  in  our  canoes,  and 
encamped  on  the  prairie  on  the  left  bank.  Here 
our  Indians  killed  an  elk  and  a  buffalo,  a  number  of 
which  were  seen  upon  the  contiguous  plain.  A  short 
distance  above,  we  passed  a  hunting  camp  of  Chip- 
peways,  consisting  of  probably  one  hundred  and 


m 


276 

BSiy  Bouls.  On  landing,  we  urew  received  with  a 
salute  in  the  Indian  method,  and  exchanged  sdmo 
corn,  of  which  they  were  much  in  need,  for  nemmi- 
can,  and  dried  bufialo  beef. 

LXVr.  DAY.(yii/v2H/A.)--Embarked  at  half  past 
four.  Two  miles  below  we  passed  the  moulli  of 
Elk  river,  entering  on  the  right  ehore.  This  is  a 
stream  of  forty  yards  wide,  and  has  a  rapid  near  its 
mouth  which  is  visible  from  the  Mississippi.  It  is, 
however,  ascended  a  great  distance  in  canoes,  and 
communicates  with  the  St.  Peter's,  by  two  short  port- 
ages. 

The  little  Falls  are  four  miles  below  the  mouth  of 
Elk  river,  where  the   Mississippi   forces    its    way 
through  a  narro«r  defile  of  rockH  which  appe.-ir  in 
rugged  masses  in  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and  attain 
an  elevation  of  from  twenty  to  forty  feet  upon  its 
banks.     Passing  with  great  velocity  over  tiie  schute 
of  the  falls,  it  was  difficult  to  ascertain  the  gcologi- 
Cell  character  of  the  rock,  but  it  appeared  to  be  grn- 
nite  very  much  mixed  and  darkened  with  hornblen- 
de.   The  river  at  this  place  is  narrowed  to  half  its 
usual  width.     The  descent  of  water  may  be  estima- 
ted at  ten  feet,  in  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards.     Be- 
tween Elk  river  and  the  little   Falls,  we  pass  the 
Painted  Rock  standing  upon  the  west  bank  of  the 
river.    It  consists  of  a  mass  of  granite  and  hornblen- 
de^  upon  which  the  Indians  have  drawn  a  number  of 
hieroglyphics,  and  rude  designs. 

Being  now  in  the  region  of  buflTalo,  we  concluded 
to  land,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  at  some  conven- 
ient place  for  hunting  them.  This  we  were  soon  in- 
vited to  do  by  seeing  one  of  those  animals  along  the 


Ir^'^' 


/        I 


277 

•hore  of  the  river,  and  on  ascondinf^  tho  bank,  wc 
observed,  upon  a  boundless  prairie,  iwo  droves  of 
them,  feeding  upon  tliegrage.      AH  who  had  gun» 
adapted  for  the  purpose,  sallied  forth  in  separate 
parties  upon  the  prairie,  while  those  who  felt  less 
ambition  to  signalize  themselves  upon  the  occasion, 
or  were  more  \\\y  accoutred  for  the  activities  of  tho 
chase,  remained  upon  an  eminence  which  overlook- 
ed the  plain,  to  observe  the  movements  of  this  an- 
imal while  under  an  attack  of  musketry,  and  to  en- 
joy the  novel  spectacle  of  a  buflfalo-hunt.    The  grass 
was  so  tall  as  to  allow  an  unobserved  approach  to- 
wards the  spot  where  they  remained  feeding,  but 
the  first  fire  proved  unsuccessful,  at  the  same  time 
that  it  scattered  the  herd,  which  were  now  seen  run- 
ning in  all  directions  across  the  prairie,  and  an  in- 
cessant fire  of  random  shots  was  kept  up  for  about 
two  hours ;  during  which  three  bufliiloes  were  killed, 
and  a  great  number  wounded,  which  made  their  es- 
cape.    While  thus  harassed,  they  often  passed  with- 
in a  few  yards  of  us,  and  we  enjoyed  a  fine  oppor- 
tunity of  witnessing  their  form,  size,  colour,  and 
Kpeed.     The  buflfalo  has  a  clumsy  gait,,  like  the  do- 
mestic ox,  which  it  also  resembles  in  size  and  gene- 
ral appearance.  Unlike  the  ox,  however,  this  animal 
exhibits  no  diversity  of  colour,  being  a  uniform  dark 
brown  inclining  to  dun.     It  is  never  spotted,  with 
black,  red,  or  wliite.  It  has  short  black  horns  growing 
nearly  straight  from  the  head,  and  set  at  a  considera- 
ble distance  apart.     The  male  has  a  hunch  upon  its 
shoulders,  covered  with  long  flocks  of  shaggy  hair, 
extending  to  the  top  of  the  head  from  which  it  falls 
over  the  eyes  and  horns,  giving  the  animal  a  very 
formidable    appearance.       The  hoofs  are  cloven 


te'i 


IP 

m  p 


•  ^^^ 


V    »i 


278 

like  those  of  the  cow,  but  the  If^gs  are  ranch  stouter, 
ahd  altogether,  it  Js  more  clumsy  and  ill-pioportJon- 
ed.     The  tail  is  naked  till  towards  the  end,  where 
it  is  tufted,  in  the  manner  of  the  lion.    The  general 
weight  of  this  animal  is  fiom  eight  hundred  to  a 
thousand  pounds;    but  they  sometimes  attain  an 
enormous  size,  and  have  been  killed  upon  the  Mis- 
sissippi p-airjes  weighing  two  thousand  pounds— 
The  skin  of  a  buffalo-buli  when  first  taken  off,  is 
three  fourths  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  cannot  be 
lifted  by  the  strongest  man.     A  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  of  tallow  have  been  taken  from  one  animal, 
and  it  is  highly  esteemed  by  the  Indians  in  preparing 
their  hommony.     Instances  cf  excessive  fatness  arc, 
however,  rare,  and  such  over-fed  animals  become;  so 
unweildy  that  ihey  often  fall  a  prey  to  wolves;  par- 
ticularly if  they  happen  to  stray  a  distance  from' the 
herd.    The  buffalo  is  a  timid  animal,  and  flies  at 
the  approach  of  man.    It  is  however  asserted  by  (he 
hunters,  that  when  painfully  wounded,  it  becomes 
furious,  and  will  turn  upon  its  pursuers.     There  is  a 
particular  art  in  killing  th"  buffalo  with  a  rifle,  on- 
ly  known  to  experienced  hunters,  and  when  they  Jo 
r.otdrop  down,  wl»ich  is  often  the  case,  it  requires  a 
person  intimately  acquainted  with  their  habits,  to 
pursue  them   with   success.     This  has  been  fully 
instanced    in    the    futile   exertions  of  our   party, 
upon    the    present  occasion,  for    out  of  a   great 
number    of    shots    few    have    reached     the    ob- 
ject, and  very  few  pro /ed  effectual,  and  the  little 
succT)ss  we  metwiih  is  chiefly  attributable  to  the 
superior  skill  of  the  Indiana  who  accompanied  us.— 
Unless  a  vital  part  is  touched,  t|ie  shot  proves  use- 
less.    It  also  requires  a  larger  ball  than  the  deer  and 
elk.     Lieutenant  Pike  thinks  that  in  the  ooen  nrai. 


ch  stouter* 
I'oport'on- 
nd,  where 
16  general 
dred  to  a 
attain  an 
I  the  Mis- 
pounds. — 
:en  off^  is 
[cannot  be 
and  fifty 
le  animal, 
pL'eparing 
tness  are, 
•ecomc;  so 
^es;   par- 
'■  from  the 
i  flies  at 
5d  by  the 
becomes 
'here  is  a 
rifle,  on- 
1  they  Jo 
equires  a 
labits,  to 
Jon  fuiJy 
r   party, 
a   great 
the    ob- 
the  little 
le  to  the 
ed  us. — 
ives  use- 
Jeer  and 

)en  nrai- 
-  -  ^  — 


279 

ries,  the  bow  and  arrow  could  be  used  to  better  ad- 
vantage than  the  gun,  particularly  on  horseback,  for 
you  might  ride  immediately  along  side  the  animal 
and  strike  it  where  you  pleased.*    The  Indians  em- 
ploy both  the  rifle,  and  arrow,  and  in  the  prairies  of 
Missouri  and  Arkansas,  pursue  the  herds  on  horse- 
back; but  on  the  upper  Mississippi,  where  they  are 
destitute  of  horses,  they  make  amends  for  this  defi- 
ciency by  several  ingenious  i^tratagems.     One  of  the 
most  common  of  these  is  the  method  of  hunting  with 
fire.     For  this  purpose  a  great  number  of  hunters 
disperse  themseWes  around  a  large  prairie  where 
herds  of  buflTalo  happ^*  to  be  feeding,  and  setting  fire 
to  the  grass  encompass  them  on  all  aides.  The  buffa- 
lo, having  a  great  dread  of  fire,  retire  towards  the 
centre  of  the  prairie  as  they  see  it  approach,  and  here 
being  pressed  together  in  great  numbers,  many  are 
trampled  under  foot,  and  the  Indians  rushing  in  with 
their  arrows  and  musketry,  slaughter  immense  num- 
bers in  a  short  period.      It  is  asserted  tl  at  a  thou- 
sand animals  have  been  killed  by  this  stratagem  in 
one  day.    They  have  another  method  of  hunting  by 
driving  them  over  precipices,  which  is  chiefly  prac- 
tised by  th'*  bands  inhabiting  the  Missouri.     To  de- 
coy the  herds,  several  Indians  disguise  themselves  in 
the  skins  ofthe  buffalo,  taken  off" entire,  and  by  coun- 
terfeiting   the  lowing  of  this  animal    in   distress, 
they    attract    the    herds    in    a  certain    direction, 
and  when  they  are  at  full  speed,  sud  !enly  disappear 
behind  a  cleft  in  the  top  of  a  precipice  when  those 
animals  which  are  in  front  on  reaching  the  brink,  are 
pushed  over  by  those  pressing  behind,  and  in  this 

•  rike'tt  Exci.'diliow,  page  46. 


1 


289 

manner  gr«at  numbers  are  crashed  to  death.  Theae 
practices  are  Jess  common  now  than  formerly,  the 
introduction  of  fire  arms  among  most  of  the  tribes, 
putting  it  into  the  power  of  almost  every  individual 
to  kill  sufficient  for  the  support  of  his  family.  By  a 
very  bad  policy,  however,  they  prefer  the  flesh  of 

the  cows,  which  wiM  in  time  destroy  the  species 

Few  of  the  native  animals  of  the  American  forest 
contribule  more  to  the  comforts  of  savage  socie- 
ty than  the  buffalo,     its  skin  when  dressed,  by  9. 
process  peculiar  to  them,  forms  one  of  the  princi- 
pal articles  of  clothing.    The  Sioux  tribes  particu- 
larly  excel  in  the  method  of  dressing  it,  and  are 
very  much  in  the  habit  of  ornamenting  their  dresses 
with  porcupine  quills,  and  paints.    The  skin  dress- 
ed with  the  hair  on,  supplies  them  with  blankets, 
and  constitutes  those  durable  and  often   beautiful 
^leigh-robes  which  are  now  in  such  universal  use 
in  the  United  States  and  the  Canadas.      The  tal- 
low of  (his  animal,  as  well  as  the  beef,  has  also 
become  an  article  of  commerce,  particularly  in  the 
south  western  states  and  territories,  and  its  horns 
are  exported  for  the  manufacture  of  powder-flasks. 
The  tongue  is  considered  superior  in  flavour  to  that 
of  the  domestic  cow,  and  the  animal  is  often  hunt- 
ed for  no  other  purpose.     I  have  seen  stockings  and 
hats  manufactured  from  its  wool  with  a  little  addi- 
tion of  common  wool,  or  of  cotton.     This  practice 
is  very  common  among  the  white  hunters  of  Mis- 
souri and   Arkansas.      The  flesh  of  the  buffalo  is 
not  equal,  in  its  fresh  state,  to  that  of  the  cow  or 
ox,  but  is  superior  when  dried,  which  is  the  Indian 
mode  of  preserving  it. 


w 


# 


281 

The  attempts  which  have  beenmacTe  to  domesti- 
cate  this  animal,  have  not  been  attended  with  suc- 
c^s.    Calves  which  have  been  taken  in  the  woods 
and  brought  up  with  the  tamebreed,  have  afterwards 
discovered  a  wild  and  ungovernable  temper,  and 
manifested  their  savage  nature  by  breaking  down  the 
strongest  enclosures,  and  enticing  the  tame  cattle 
into  the  woods.    The  mixed  breed  is  said  to  be  bar- 
ren,  hke  the  mule.    The  period  of  gesticulation  is 
ascertained  to  be  twelve  months,  whereas  that  of  the 
cow  IS  nine..    A  remarkable  proof  of  the  little  affin- 
ity existing  between  it,  and  the  domestic  breed  of 
cattle,  was  exhibited  a  few  years  ago  in  Canada, 
where  the  connexion  resulted  in  the  death  of  the 
cows  submitted  to  the  experiment. 

Naturalists  have  generally  considered  the  Amert- 
can  buffalo  {Bos  Bubaks)  of  the  same  species  with 
Ae  Btson  and  Aurochi  of  Europe  and  Asia,  the  dif- 
ference  consisting  in  the  former  being  less  shaggy, 
the  hair  partaking  less  of  the  character  of  S 
and  the  conformation  of  the  hind  parts  of  the  animal 
being  stouter  and  more  like  that  of  the  common  ox 
Several  varieties  of  this  species  are  found;    as  the 
anoa,  «em«nudus,  bos  cafer,  wild  grunting  ox,  guave- 
ra,  musk  buffalo,  urus,  and  zebu,  or  Barbary  cow. 
The  biGon  IS  at  present  found  throughoutthe  south- 
em  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa,  and  is  said  to  attain  its 
greatest  size  at  Malabar,  Abyssinia  and  Mada^as- 
car,  where   the   extensive  savannahs  are  clothed 
with  the  most  luxuriant  herbage.    The  only  parts  of 
Europe  where  this  animal  is  now  found,  are  the  pro- 
vince of  Lithuanm,  the  Carpathian  mountains,  and 
the  great  Hercynian  forest 
In  America  the  buffalo  is  confined  to  the  region^ 


n 


# 


^'M: 


382 

situated  between  the  31st  and  41)th  degrees  ornoflll 
latitude,  and  west  of  tiic  Mississippi  river.  The 
only  part  of  the  country  east  of  this  river,  where 
the  buflalo  now  remains,  is  that  included  between 
the  falls  of  S!.  Anthony  and  Sandy  Lake,  arangr 
of  about  si:i  hundred  miles.  South  of  the  31  si  de- 
gree of  north  latitude  the  buffalo  is  not  found,  but  its 
place  is  supplied  in  Mexico  by  the  wild  ox,  without 
a  hunch,  which  is  considered  of  European  origin. 

Having  spent  several  hours  in  the  chase  of  thi» 
animal,  and  driven  the  herds  off"  to  a  great  distance< 
we  embarked,  and  proceeded  down  the^  river  iHitil 
three  o'clock,  when  we  again  landed  on  a  high 
prairie  bank  on  the  west  shore,  at  the  site  of  an  old 
Indian  encampment  of  sixteen  lodges.      Here  we 
spent  the  remainder  of  the  afternoon  in  hunting  buf- 
falo,  many  of"  which-  were  seen  on  the  contiguoua 
plain,  and  encamped  at  night,  having  descended  the 
river  fifly-four  miles.    The  first  object  which  attract- 
ed our  attention  on  landing  was  an  Indian  sign,  or 
letter  of  birch  bark,  affixed  to  a  long  pole  in  the 
centre  of  the  deserted  encampment.     1  his  had  been 
left  for  the  information  of  the  Chippeways  by  a  large 
party  of  Sioux,  on  the  termination  of  an  excursion 
up  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  with  the 
former.    As  we  carried  embassadors  of  peace  from 
the  Chippeway  nation,  they  approached  the  hiero- 
glyphical  sign  with  great  eagerness,  and  learned  its 
import  with  equal  satisfaction.    By  it,  they  were  in- 
formed, that  at  the  solicitation  of  the  commandant  of 
the  American  garrison  at  St.  Peter's,  a  large  party  of 
the  Sioux  had  proceeded  thus  far  up  the  river  on  a 
mission  of  peace,  but  riot  meeting  with  any  of  the 
Chippeways,  had  returned;  and  that  they  were  equal- 


283 

ly  disposed  for  peace  or  war.  The  number  of  the 
partv,--the  chiefs  who  headed  them,— their  route,— 
the  situation  of  their  villages  on  the  St.  Peter's,— the 
American  garrison,  and  other  particulars  were  accu- 
rately delineated,  or  represented  hy  symbols  and 
characters  in  common  use,  so  that  they  experienced 
no  difficulty  in  the  perusal,  and  explained  to  us  with 
great  facility  the  import  of  the  message.  I  have  al- 
ready adverted  to  this  method  of  communication  be- 
tween  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  north,  and  can  now 
add,  that  the  information  given  in  this  instance,  was 
strictly  corroborated  on  our  arrival  at  St.  Peter's. 

The  Mississippi  below  the  junction  of  the  river 
De  Corbeau,  pursues  a  more  direct  course  towards 
the  southwest.     Thisf  has  been  particularly  observa- 
ble to-day.     The  current  continues  strong,  and  pre- 
sents a  great  many  islands  and  rapids.  Piles  of  drift- 
wood appear  upon  the  heads  of  islands,  and  loose 
granitic  stones  at  the  rapids.    Snags  become  more 
frequent.      Several  rivers  and  creeks  join  the  river 
on  either  shore,  but  none  of  any  considerable  mag- 
nitude.  The  soil  continues  alluvial  on  both  banks- 
Ducks,  geese,  pelican,  swan,  and  snipe,  have  been 
frequently  seen,— also,   the  eagle,  hawk,  buzzard, 
heron,  pigeon,  and  red  squirrel     We  passed  Pike's 
Block  House  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.    Op- 
posite our  present  encampment,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  there  is  a  bed  of  granite,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  in  height..    It  is  considerably  mixed  with 
hornblende.      On   ascending  it  I  found  the  most 
charming  prospects  in  every  direction.  It  commands 
a  view  of  the  prairies  on  both  banks  of  the  Missisr 
sippi,  with  the  windings  of  the  stic  nn,  and  its  isl- 
ands and  rapids  for  many  miles  above  and  below, 


284 

and  the  interest  of  the  scene  was  greatly  enhanced 
at  the  moment,  by  the  herds  of  buffalo  and  deer 
which  were  seen  in  various  groupes  upon  the  prai- 
ries, and  the  delightful  influence  of  a  mild  and 
transparent  summer  atmosphere. 

The  Indians  of  this  region  subsist  wholly  without 
the  use  of  salt  with  their  provisions. 

LXVII.  DAy.~(y«/y  29/A.)— There  is  a  heavy  fall  of 
dew  upon  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  during  the  sum- 
iner  nights  which  is  in  some  measure  proportioned 
to  the  heat  of  the  preceding  day;  and  increases  ina 
direct  ratio  from  its  sources  to  its  mouth.    An  expo- 
sure to  this  is  considered  particularly  injurious  to 
health,  and  is  thought  to  be  among  the  predisposing 
pauses  of  malignant  fevers.    Any  article  capable  of 
imbibing    moisture,  which  is  left  out  of  the  tent 
during  the  night,  becomes  as  completely  saturated 
with  water,  as  if  it  had  been  exposed  to  a  shower 
ot  rain. 

In  the  course  of  the  night  a  pack  of  wolves  were 
beard  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.    There  is 
something  doleful  as  well  as  terrific  in  the  howling  of 
this  animal,  particularly  when  we  start  from  a  sound 
sleep  during  the  stillness  of  night.      It  is,  howe- 
ver, little  to  be  dreaded,  and  I  have  never  heard  of 
an  instance  of  its  making  an  attack  upon  man,  in 
the  wilderness,  although  such  instances  have  fre- 
quently occurred  on  the  frontiers  of  our  settlements. 
1  he  cause  of  this  apparently  reversed  order  of  na- 
ture IS  obvious.    In  the  wilderness  the  wolf  finds  no 
difficulty  in  preyi,,g  upon  deer,  buffalo,  and  elk,  and 
18  thus  supplied  with  food;   but  such  animals  as 
linger  upon    the   borders   of  society,   where  the 


'm^>i 


285 

aeer  has  long  been  driven  off,  are  compelled  to  r«. 
sort  to  sheep  and  young  cattle,  and  in  cpaes  of  ex- 
treme hunger,  are  excited  to  acts  of  the  most  daring 
ferocity,  and  will  attack  men  and  horses,  and  what- 
ever  happens  to  fall  in  their  way.     There  are  two 
species  of  the  wolf  upon  the  banks  of  the  Mississip, 
pi,--the  common  grey  wolf  (Conw  Lupus)  and  the 
praine  wolf,  which  is  unknown  in  Europe.    The 
latter  consists  of  two  varieties,  the  yellow  and  black 
wolf.    Both  are  much  smaller  than  the  canis  lupus, 
and  hunt  together  in  larger  packs.    They  possess  in 
a  superior  degree  the  cunning,  ferocity,  and  activity 
of  the  species,  and  are  characterized  by  a  fierce 
sparkling  yellow  eye,  and  very  sharp  pointed  cars! 
The  yellow  kind  exceeds  the    terrier  dog  in  size, 
which  it  also  very  much  resembles  in  the  shape  of 
its  head,  and  the  general  conformation  of  its  body 
The  black  wolf  is  larger,  and  I  have  seen  an  animal 
of  this  kind  killed  on  the  Missouri  prairies,  measuring 
three  feet  nine  inches,  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to 
the  insertion  of  the  tail,  being  covered  in  every  part 
with  long  black  hair,  but  so  coarse  and  bristly  that 
no  value  is  set  upon  it  by  the  traders.     The  sagaci- 
iy  of  the  black  and  yellow  prairie  wolf,  is  such  that 
when  in  a  ^ang  in  the  pursuit  of  deer,  or  buffalo, 
they  will  divide  themselves  into  separate  parties, 
and  surrounding  their  prey,  in  a  valley  or  open  prai- 
rie, seldom  fail  to  take  a  number,  particularly  such 
as  are  disabled  by  hunters,  accidents,  or  age,  or  be. 
come  unwieldly  from  over-feeding. 

There  is  another  sound  which  will  frequently  dis- 
turb the  nightly  rest  of  the  traveller  in  the  region  of 
the  Mississippi.  It  is  the  half-human  cry  of  the 
Strix  Nyctea,  or  great  white  owl,  which  inhabits  the 


^ 


286 


coldest   regions  of  our  continent,  and   is  seiaom 
found  south  of  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.    This  ani, 
mal  utters  its  most  hideous  cry,  a  few   moments 
before    the   first    glimpse    of  day   light,    and    i» 
thus  the  unerring  herald    of  day.     At   this  time 
it  betakes  itself  to  those  recesses  where  it  spends 
the  day  in  seclusion.      With  this  warning  cry  we 
were  called  to  embark,  and  quit  our  encampment 
at  half  past  four,  the  weather  fair,  and  the  ther- 
mometer standing  at  50°.    6n  descending  six  miles, 
we  passed  the  mouth  of  Sac  river,  a  stream  of  a 
hundred  yards  in  width,  entering  on  the  west  shore. 
This  is  one  of  the  principal  hunting  grounds  of  the 
Minow  Kantong  band  of  Sioux.     It  is  represented 
as  a  gentle  river,  and  bordered  in  its  whole  course 
with  the  most  luxuriant  prairies,  interspersed  with 
copses  of  woods,  \h§  favorite  resort  of  bqffalo,  elk, 
and  deer. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  encountered  a  formidable  ra- 
pid, called  the  Big  Falls,  which  consists  of  a  series 
of  breaks  and  schutes  extending  about  eight  hun- 
dred  yards,  in  wbich  distance  the  river  may  be  esti- 
mated to  have  an  aggregate  fa|l  pf  sixteen  fept.  The 
bed  of  the  riyer  at  this  fa||  is  bp^et  wjth  sharp  frag- 
ments of  granitic  an4  hornblende  rock,  which  also 
appear  in  rolled  masses  upon  the  shores.  The  next 
remarkable  trait  in  the  river  is  Prairie  rapids,  which 
are  six  in  number,  and  haye  a  mean  descent  of  about 
twenty  feet  in  fjve  miles. 

At  half  past  four  in  the  afternoon,  we  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  river  St.  Francis,  a  large  stream  falling 
in  on  the  east  shore.  For  a  great  distance  above 
its  mouth  it  runs  parallel  with  the  Mississippi,  which 
13  the  pause  that  so  (ew  tributaries  enter  the  latter 


287 

dri  the  ea3t  bhore  after  passing  the  mouth  of  the  ri^« 
er  De  Corbeau.  Its  principal  fork  is  Muddy  river.— 
Here  Carver  terminated  his  travels  up  the  Missis- 
sippi in  the  year  1765;  and  Father  Hennepin  in 
1681.  An  island  in  the  river  opposite  its  mouth 
hides  the  view  of  it  from  those  who  descend  by  the 
west  channel. 

At  six  o'clock  we  passed  Crow  river,  which  is 
tributary  on  the  western  bank.  It  is  a  long  stream 
and  has  a  width  of  forty  yards  at  its  mouth,  which 
it  preserves  a  great  distance  up.  It  is  ascended  in 
canoes  to  within  a  few  miles  of  its  source,  which  is 
six  days  journey  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Its  prin- 
cipal fork  is  Tawtonga  or  Buffalo  creek,  which  ori- 
ginates in  Dog  lake,  in  the  centre  of  a  boundless 
prairie.  This  is  one  of  the  best  hunting  grounds  of 
the  Sioux. 

We  encamped  five  miles  below  Crow  river  on  the 
cast  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  having  been  thirteen 
hours  in  our  canoes,  and  descended  ninety  miles. 
The  current  of  the  river  this  day  has  been  unusually 
strong,  with  many  rapids  and  ripples.— Very  few 
snags  have  been  observed— A  great  many  islands 
were  passed  in  the  afternoon,  and  some  small  sand 
bars,  being  the  first  noticed.— Prairies  continue  on 
both  banks,  with  occasional  clumps  of  trees,  and 
forests  of  two  or  three  miles  in  extent.  The  growth 
of  wood  upon  the  islands  is  elm,  black  and  white 
walnut,  maple,  oak,  and  ash:— upon  the  prairies, 
dwarf  black  oak.  Along  the  banks  of  the  river,  peb- 
bles of  quartz,  granite,  hornblende,  carnelian,  and 
agate  are  seen.  In  one  instance,  I  picked  up  a  fine 
specimen  of  agatized  wood,  such  as  is  common  up- 
on the  lower  Mississippi,  and  along  the  shores  of  the 


Missouri.    The  colour  of  the  water  continuea  a  light 
chocolate  brown  in  the  stream,  but  appears  clear  in 
•mall  quantities.     Pebblesat  the  bottom  of  the  river 
can  be  plainly  discerned  through  it  at  four  or  five 
feet  depth.     The  quality  of  the  soil  of  the  prairies 
improves  as  we  descend,  and  during  the  last  twenty 
miles  may  be  considered  of  the  richest  kind.    The 
prairies  are  in  fact  covered  with  a  stratum  of  the  most 
recently  deposited,   black,  marly   alluvion,  which 
appears  to  be  composed,  in  a  great  degree,  of  vege- 
table mould.    It  is  entirely  destitute  of  those  round- 
ed pebbles  and  stones  which  generally  characterize 
upland  soils,  although  bottomed  upon  a  slratum  of 
alluvion  in  which  they  are  abundantly  disseminated. 
The  whole,  apparently,  rests  immediately  upon  gra- 
nitic and  hornblende  rock,  which  occasionally  rises 
through  it,  in  rugged  peaks,  and  beds. 

LXVIII.  Day,— (July  30th.)-^\t  was  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning  when  we  Itfi  our  encampment     On  de- 
scending six  miles  we  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississawgaigon  or  Rum  river,   a  large   and  long 
stream  coming  in  upon  the  east  bank.  It  originates  in 
Spirit  Lake,  which  is  ten  days  journey  north  of  its 
mouth.      This  lake  is  twelve  miles  long  and  four  in 
width,  of  an  irregular  shape  and  beautified  with  se- 
veral islands.     It  is  only  two  days  journey  south- 
west of  Sandy  Lake.    Its  waters  are  very  transpa- 
rent,  and  afford  a  variety  of  fish,  and  the  Indians 
say  that  its  shores  are  strewed  with  an  infinite  varie- 
ty of  clear  and  shining  stones,  some  of  which  are 
as  Ifl.ge  as  a  man's  fist.    These,  from  their  descrip- 
tions, are  presumed  to  be  carnelians,  agates,  chalce- 
donies, and  other  siKcious  gems,  which  are  known 


uea  a  light 
rs  clear  in 
f  the  river 
tir  or  five 
e  prairies 
Eist  twenty 
ind.  The 
•f  the  most 
on,  which 
,  of  vege- 
'se  round- 
iracterize 
liratum  of 
eminated. 
upon  gra- 
lally  rises 


ft 


>'clock  in 
Onde- 
th  of  the 
and  long 
pnates  in 
th  of  its 
id  four  in 

with  86- 

J  south- 
transpa- 
Indians 
te  vade- 
hich  are 
descrip- 
,  chalce- 
«  known 


289 

to  b©  the  product  of  the  conliguous  regions.  Spirw 
It  Lake  has  two  inleto,  one  of  which  called  Akcek 
Seeba,  originates  a  few  miles  west  of  the  banks  of 
St.  Louis  rirer  near  the  Grand  Rapids ;  the  other 
h  ascended  in  canoes  within  a  daj's  walk  of  Lower 
Red  Cedar  Lake. 

The  falls  of  St.  Anthony  are  fourteen  miles  be- 
low the  conMuence  of  the  Mississawgaeigon.      We 
reac!  cd  the  upper  end  of  the  portage  at  half  past 
eight  jn  the  morning,  and  while  the  voyageurs  were 
bnsied  in  the  transportation  of  our  baggage,  hastened 
io  take  a  view  of  this  celebrated  cataract.     The 
river  has  a  perpendicular  pitch  of  forty  feet,  with  a 
formidable  rapid  above  and  below.      An  island  at 
the  brink  of  the  falls,  divides  the  current  into  two 
sheets,  the  largest  of  which  passes  on  the  west  of 
the  island.     The  rapid  below  the  schute  is  filled 
with  large  fragments  of  rock,  in  the  interstices  of 
which  some  alluvial  soil  has  accumulated,  which 
nourishes  a  stinted  growth  of  cedars.     This  rapid 
extends  half  a  mile,  in  which  distance  the  river  may 
be  estimated  to  have  a  descent  of  fifteen  feet.     The 
rapid  preceding   the  falls,  has  a  descept  of  about 
ten  feet  in  the  distance  of  three  hundred   yards, 
where  the  river  runs  with  a  swift  but  unruffled  cur- 
rent over  a  smooth  stratum  of  rock  a  little  inclined 
towards  the  brink.      The  entire  fall  therefore  in  a 
little  less  than  three  fourths  of  a  mile,  is  sixty-five 
fe-t.     The  rock  is  a  white  sand  stone  overlayed  by 
secondary  lime  stone.     This  formation  is  first  seen 
half  a  mile  above  the  falls,  where  it  breaks  out  ab- 
ruptly on  the  banks  of  the  river.    The  perspective 
view  (Plate  VII.)  is  taken  from  a  point  about  two 
hundred  yards  below  the  schute  of  the  fal!8  on  the 

37 


m 


I         !] 


"W 


I 


east  shore,  and  a  short  distance  west  of  the  pbrtage' 
path.     The  ^cehe  presents  nothing  of  that  majesty 
and    ,ve  Which  is  experienced  in  the^df  below 
the  cataract  of   Niagara.      We  do  net  hear  that 
deep  and  appalling  tone  in  the  roar  of  water,  nof 
do  we  feel  that  tremulouR  motion  of  the  rocks  undef 
our  feet,  which  impresses  the  visitor  at  Niagara  with 
an  idea  of  greainess,  that  hs  magnificent  outline  of 
rock  and  Water,  would  noi,  indepen  Gently,  create. 
The  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  however,  present  attrac^ 
tionsofa  different  nature,  and  have  a  simplicity  of 
character  which  h  very  pleasing.      We  see  nothing 
in  the  view  which  may  not  be  considered  either  rude 
or  picturesque,  and  perhaps  there  are  few  scenes  in 
the  natural  topography  of  our  country,  where  these 
features  are  blended  with  more  harmony  and  effect. 
It  is  in  fact  the  precise  point  of  transition,  where 
the  beautiful  prairies  of  the  upper  Mississippi,  are 
merged  in  the  rugged  lime  stone  bluffs  which  skirt 
the  banks  of  the  river  from  that  point  downward. — • 
With  this  change  of  geological  character,  wc  per- 
ceive a  corresponding  one,  in  the  vegetable  produc- 
tions, and  the  eye  embraces  at  one  view,  the  copses 
of  oak  tfpon  the  prairies,  and  the  cedars  and  pines 
which  characterize  the  calcareous  bluffa    Nothing 
can  exceed  the  beauty  of  the  prairies  which  skirt 
both  banks  of  the  river  above  the  falls.  They  do  not, 
however,  consist  of  an  unbroken  plain,  but  are  di- 
versified with  gentle  ascents  and  small  ravines  co- 
vered with  the  most  luxuriant  growth  of  grass  and 
heath-dowers,    interspersed  with  groves    of    oak, 
which  throw  an  air  of  the  most  picturesque  beauty 
over  the  scene. 


he  pbridge^ 
lat  majesty 
vulf  below 

hear  that 
(vater,  nor 
)cks  undef 
agara  with 
outline  of 
ly,  create.- 
Bht  attrac^ 
uplicitj  of 
je  nothing 
ither  rude 
'  scenes  in 
lere'  these 
and  effect. 
>n,  where 
iippi,  are 
lich  skirt 
rnward. — 

wc  per- 
?  produc- 
he  copses 
and  pines 

Nothing 
tiich  skirt 
?y  do  not, 
it  are  di- 
vines co- 
jrass  and 

of  oak, 
e  beauti' 


2»1  . 

It  19  probable,  (qo,  that  during  tl^e  high  floods  of 
the  Mississippi  in  the  spring  and  fall,  th^s  cataract 
jattaibs  a  cliaracter  of  sublimity,  from  the  increased 
volume  and  tumult  of  the  water,  and  the  inundation 
lof  the  accumulated  debris,  which  presents,  at  this 
season,  so  rugged  an  aspect.  It  is  said,  also,  that  this 
accession  of  water  produces  a  cloud  of  spray  which 
must  take  away  a  certain  nakedness  in  the  appear- 
ance of  the  falls,  that  will  strike  every  vjsitpr  who 
has  previously  enjoyed  the  sight  of  the  Niagara, 

The  European  name  of  these  faljs  is  due  to  fa- 
ther Lewjs  Hennepin,  a  French  missionary  of  the 
f-yder  of  Recolle^s,  who  first  visited  them  in  1680. 
The  Indian  name  in  the  Narcotah,  or  Sipux  language, 
is  OwafyMenah,  or  the  falling  water. 

At  the  east  side  of  the  river,  close  under  the 
shp?t  of  the  prinj^ip^l  column  of  water,  the  Indians 
procure  a  kind  of  clay  of  a  brownish  red  colour 
with  which  they  paint  their  canoes  and  baskets.  It 
appears  to  be  an  aluminous  substance  very  much 
mixed  with  iron  pyrites  in  a  state  of  decomposition, 
»nd  penetrated  with  vegetable  juices.  It  is  found 
in  a  crevice  about  ten  feet  below  the  water,  and 
they  pretend  that  it  is  renewed  when  taken  away. 

The  length  of  the  portage  around  the  falls,  as 
pleasured  by  Lieutenant  Pike  in  1805,  is  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  poles,  but  in  high  water  is  somewhat 
less.  The  width  of  the  river  on  the  brink  of  the 
Ml  is  stated  at  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  yards, 
b|iit  narrows  to  two  hundred  and  nine  yards  a  short 
distance  below,  where  the  river  is  compressed  be- 
tween opposing  ledges  of  rock. 

We  completed  the  portage  of  our  canoes  and  bag- 
gage at  half  past  one,  and  descending  the  river  nine 


292 

miles,  reached  the  American  garrison  at  St.  Peter's 
at  three,  and  were  received  with  a  national  salute — 
The  spot  which  it  is  proposed  to  fortify  isahigh  bluff 
at  the  junction  of  the  river  St.  Peter  s  with  the  Mis- 
sissippi—a  spot  which  commands  the  navigation  of 
both  rivers,  and  appears  capable  of  being  rendered 
impregnable  with  little  expense.      It  is  in  fact  the 
same  point  of  land  wl  ich  first  suggested  to  Lieuten- 
ant Pike  the  idea  of  its  being  an  eligible  situation 
for  a  fort,  and  led  to  its  subsequent  purchase  from  the 
Sioux  Indians.      This  purchase  was  effected  at  a 
treaty*  held  by  Lieut.  Pike  in  September,  1805,  by 
whidi  they  ccdt>  io  the  United  States  the  district  of 
country  from  the  junction  of  the  St.  Peter's  with 
the  Mississippi,  to  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  inclusive, 
and  extending  pine  miles  on  each  side  of  the  river. 
The  consideration  for  this  grant  was  two  thousand 

•  Tfu  following  w  the  lYeaiy  alluded  to: 
At  a  conference  held  between  the  United  States  of  America 
and  the  Sioux  nation  of  Indians  :  lieutenant  Z.  M.  Pilce,  of  the 
array  of  the  United  States,  and  the  chiefii  and  the  warriors  of 
iiaid  tribe,  have  agreed  to  the  following  article.,  which,  whea 
ratified  and  approved  of  by  the  proper  authority,  sbaU  be  bindine 
on  both  parties.  • 

Abt.  1.  That  the  Sioux  nation  grant  unto  the  United  States, 
for  the  purpose  of  establishment  of  raiiitary  posts,  nine  miles  square 
at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Croix,»  also  from  below  ihe  confluence  of 
the  Mississippi  and  St.  Peter's  up  the  Miswesippi  to  Include  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony,  extending  nine  miles  on  each  side  of  the 
river,  that  the  Sioux  nation  grants  to  the  United  States  the  full 
sovereignty  and  power  over  said  district  for  ever. 

Abt.  2.  That,  in  consideration  of  the  above  grants,  the  United 
States  shall  pay  (filled  up  by  the  senate  with  2000  dollars.; 
Art.  S.  The  United  Sutea  proinlse,  on  their  part,  to  permit 

•  My  demand  was  one  leas^ue  below :  their  reply  was  "  from  below  »-. 
I  im^iiK  (without  iniquity)  tfaey  nay  be  made  to  agree. 


om  below."— 


293 

dollars.     It  could  hardlj  have  been  anticipated  at 
that  time,  when  there  were  probably  not  more  than 
a  hundred  American  families  in  the  extensive  re- 
gion DOW  composing  the  states  of  Indiana,  Illinois, 
^nd  Missouri,  that  in  the  short  space  of  thirteen 
jeata  the  progress  of  oar  settlements  would  have 
demanded  the  occupancy  of  a  post  in  so  remote  a 
section  of  the  union.     Yet  it  was  loudly   called  for 
even  within  that  time,  as  a  protection  to  the  defence- 
less settlers  on  our  northwestern  and  southwestern 
frontiers— and  as  a  check   to  the  undue  influence 
which  the  British  traders  have  too  long  exercised 
over  the  Indian  tribes  inhabiting  the  territories  of 
the  United  States.      Yielding  to  this  expression  of 
the  public  voice,  the  government  determined  to  es- 
tablish a  garrison  at  St  Peter's.     The  force  desig- 
nated to  accomplish  this  object  consisted  of  three 
hundred  men  of  the  sixth  regiment  of  infantry  un- 
^erihe  orders  of  Colonel  Leavenworth,  who  had 
distinguished  himself  as  commandant  of  the  ninth 

the  Sieax  to  pass  and  repass,  hunt,  or  make  other  use  of  the  said 
districts  as  they  have  formerly  done  without  any  other  exception 
than  those  specified  in  article  first. 

In  testimony  whereof  we,  the  undersigned,  have 
hereunto  set  our  bands  and  seals,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  St.  Peter's,  on  the  23d  day  of 
September,  1805. 

2.  M  Pike,  1st  lieut.  (L.  S.) 

and  agent  at  the  above  conference, 
his 

tm  PjiTIT  CORBBAU,      X        (L.  S.) 

maik 
his 
Wa«  Aoo  EnAsbi,      X    (L.  S.) 

mark. 


*.:* 


hi 


284 

and  twcnty-second  regiments  in  the  battle  of  Chip» 
peway*    They  left  Detroit  in  the  spring  of  18  J  9, 
and  proceeding  by  the  way  of  Green  Bay  and  the 
Fox  and  Ousconsing. rivers  entered  the  Mississippi 
at  Prairie  du  Chien,  where  they  left  a  detachment  to 
erect  a  garrison,  and  proceeding  up  the  river  reach- 
ed the  mouth  of  the  St  Peter's  in  season  to  com- 
plete their  cantonements  before  the  commencement 
of  winter.     They  first  located  themselves  on  the 
rich  bottom  lands  which  extend  along  the  south  bank 
of  the  St.  Peter's,  but  not  finding  it  a  healthy  situar 
tion,  removed  in  the  spring  of  1820,  to  an  eminence 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  a  mile  distant 
from  the  old  cantonement— a  situation  which    is 
extremely  pleasant  and  salubrious,  and  where  they 
will  remain  until  the  permanent  works  are  comple- 
ted upon  the  bluff  at  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers. 
Since  their  arrival,  the  garrison  have  cleared  and 
put  under  cultivation    about  ninety  acres  of  the 
choicest  bottom  and  prairie  lands,  which  is  chiefly 
planted  with  Indian  corn  and  potatoes  ;  besides  a 
large  hospital— a  regmental,  and  several  company, 
and  private  gardens,  which  supply  vegetables  in  great 
abundance  for  all  the  men.    Here  we  were  first  pre- 
sented with  green  corn,  pease,  beans,  cucumbers, 
beets,  radishes,  lettuce,  &c.      The  first  green  pease 
were  eaten  here  on  the  15th  of  June,  and  the  first 
green  corn  on  the  20th  of  July.     Much  of  the  corn 
is  already  too  hard  to  be  boiled  for  the  table,  and 
some  ears  can  be  selected  which  are  ripe  enough 
for  seed  corn.    We  found  the  wheat  entirely  ripe, 
and  melons  nearly  so.      These  are  the  best  com- 
mentaries that  can  be  offered  upon  the  soil  and  cli- 


*  See  Fay's  Battles,  page  215. 


'i 


2S5 


inntk.    To  aiicertain,  however,  that  the  former  is  of 
the  richest  quality,  a  cursory  examination  is  only 
required.    It  presents  all  the  peculiar  appearances 
which  characterize  the  fertile  alluvions  of  the  valley 
of  the  Ohio.    In  favour  of  the  climate  all  the  offi- 
cers of  the  garrison  speak  in  terms  of  the  highest 
admiration.      The    atmosphere  is  represented  as 
beautifully  serene  and  transparent  during  the  sum- 
mer season,  and  free  from  that  humidity  which  pro- 
duces haziness  and  opacity;  and  although  the  mete- 
orological registers*  of  the  garrison  indicate  a  high 
atmospheric  temperature,  it  is  observed  that  the 
fervour  of  the  heat  is  greatly  mitigated  by  the  al- 
most continual  currents  of  the  air,  which  prevent 
the  weather  from  becoming  sultry  or  oppressive.    It 
is  probable,  however,  that  this  effect  is  in  some 
measure  owing  to  the  eligible  situation  of  the  garri- 
son, at  an  elevation  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  above  the  Mississippi  river.      The  latitude  of 
St.  Peter'8is45°.— . --. 

LXIX.  DAY^(/tt/y  31«/)— .The  river  St.  Peter's 
flows  through  the  centre  of  the  Sioux  territories, 

•It  is  rendered  the  duty  of  the  Post-Surgeons  at  the  frontier 
garrisons  to  keep  a  meteorological  register  of  the  weather,  and  to 

.  transmit  abstracts  of  it,  periodically,  to  the  War  Department . 

With  a  view  of  comparing  the  results  with  my  own  observations, 
and  of  drawing  some  general  conclusions,  with  regard  to  the  cli- 
mate of  St.  Peter's,  i  called  on  Doctor  P II  ©f  the  garrison  and 

requested  permission  to  copy  his  register,  but  regret  that  he  did 
not  think  proper  to  assent  without  an  injunction  that  it  should  not 
be  made  public.  Is  there  any  thing  in  the  state  of  the  weather  at 
St.  Peter's,  of  so  much  importance  to  the  government,  as  to  re- 
quire secrecy  ?  I  am  satisfied  that  gentlemen  of  the  medical  pro- 
fession It  the  United  States  do  not  often  subject  themselves  to  the 
hnputatiM  of  narrow-mindedness  or  iiliberajitv. 


f.5i 

J 

m,k 

M 

':Mk 

i 

296 

and  is  both  the  largest  and  the  least  known,  of  all 
the  tributaries  of  the  upper  Mississippi.    It  has  ne- 
ver I'^en  explored  except  by  voyageurs  and  traders* 
whose  whole  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  col* 
lection  of  peltries  from  the  aborigines,  and  remains 
to  this  monient,  undescribed  in  American  geography. 
All,  however,  who  have  been  questioned   on  the 
subject,  both  Indians  and  traders,  agree  in  saying, 
that  it  is  a  long  stream,  made  up  of  a  great  many 
tributaries,  and  flowing  in  its  whole  extent  through 
a  country  of  the  most  luxuriant  fertility  and  delight- 
ful  appearance.    Carver  ascended  it  two  hundred 
miles,  and  found  it  to  preserve  in  that  distance,  a 
uniform  width  of  about  one  hundred  yards,  with  a 
great  depth  of  water,  and  represents  its  southern 
fork  as  originating  very  near  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
souri,  and  its  northern,  in  a  district  of  highlands 
called  the  Shining  Mountains.    «  These  mountains" 
he  observes,  «  take  their  name  from  an  infinite  num- 
ber of  crystal  stones  of  an  amazing  size,  with  which 
they  are  covered ;  and  which  when  the  sun  shines 
full  upon  them,  sparkle  so  as  to  be  seen  at  a  very 
great  distance."      After  the  most  diligent  enquiry, 
1  have  not  been  able  to  procure  any  information  con- 
cerning these  mountains,  or  their  crystalline  pro- 
ductions.   To  the  first  tributary  of  the  St.  Peter's  on 
the  northern  bank,  falling  in  forty  miles  above  its 
mouth,  Carver  gave   his  own  name,  which  I  have 
adopted  upon  the  chart  of  our  track.    The  others 
tributary  most  known  is  the  Terre  Bleu,  or  Blue- 
earth  river,  which  flows  in  from  the  south,  a  hun- 
dred miles  west  of  the  Mississippi,  by  a  mouth  of 
fifty  yards  in  width.    It  is  chiefly  noted  fop  the  blue 
clay  which  the  Indians  procure  upon  its  banks,  and 


297 

which  is  much  employed  in  painting  their  faces  anS 
other  parts  of  their  bodies.      The  locaUty  of  this 
substance,  as  communicated  by  the  Indians  to  Go- 
vernor Cass,  is  the  declivity  of  a  hill  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  in  height,  in  the  rear  of  the  village 
of  Sissitongs,  one  mile  above  its  confluence  with  the 
St.  Peter's.    It  is  found  at  the  foot  of  a  sand  stone 
bluff;  between  two  strata  of  the  rock,  in  a  vein  about 
fifteen inchos in  thickness.  They  have  dugunderit,  so 
far  as  a  man  can  go  leaving  out  his  legs.     The  vein 
does  not  extend  far  up  and  down  the  river.  It  is  eleva- 
ted about  twenty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  waters 
of  the  river,  during  the  highest  floods.     Three  miles 
below  this,  on  the  St.    Peter's,  there  is  a  vein  of 
green  clay,  of  similar  size,  and  situated  between 
layers  of  the  same  kind  of  rock.    About  half  way 
up  a  perpendicular  bluff"  of  rock,  (they  say)  there  is 
a  break  or  platform,  fifty  feet  broad,  with  a  spring 
running  over  it.     The  clay  is  foundwhere  this  spring 
issues  from  the  rock,  and  is  abundant.    I  procured 
specimens  of  both  these  varieties  of  clay.     They 
appear  to  present  alumine  in  combination  with  sub- 
stances with  which  it  has  not  heretofore  been  observ- 
ed. They  are  considerably  mixed  with  sand,  and  dry 
in  the  air  without  a  disposition  to  crack  in  the  man- 
ner of  common  clays.     This  is  probably  owing  to 
the  admixture  of  sand,  which  by  rendering  the  mass 
porous  in  a  higher  degree,  allows  it  to  part  with  its 
moisture  with  greater  rapidity.    The  two  varieties 
only  differ  in  the  intensity  of  colour,  one  being  a 
light  green,  the  other  partaking  somewhat  of  blue. 
The  colouring  matter  appears  to  be  carbonat  of  cop^ 
per.    These  clays  possess  all  the  plasticity  of  com- 

38 


# 


296 

moil  clays  when  first  taken  up,  and  acffoire  a  eotf 
siderablc  degree  of  hardness,  on  drj-lng.     The  St. 
Peter's  also,  afibrds  a  red  paint,  which  is  very  much 
employed  by  the  Sioujt.    This  is  procured  at  a  spot 
called  the  Big  Stone,  at  the  extreme  head  of  the 
river.    A  large  spring  rises  from  a  level  dry  plain, 
and  a  few  feet  beyond  it,  this  paint  is  found.     They 
take  it  up  with  the  point  of  a  knife.    The  stratum  is 
about  eight  inches  thick,  but  just  below,  the  surface 
is  mixed  with  common  earth.     It  is  perfectly  dry, 
and  void  of  all  adhesive  properties.    Tfie  opening 
where  the  paint  is  procured,  is  about  ten  feet  in  di- 
ameter.    It  has  long  been  resorted  to,  and  they  pre- 
tend that  the    quantity   is  annmUy  renewed.      The 
spring  is  fifteei^  or  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  the  wa- 
ter good,  and  rises  in  great  abundance'.    The  same 
substance  is  found  at  a  few  other  places  ortP  an  ad- 
joining prairie.     This  red  paint,  proves  to  Ibe  the 
native  red  oxide  pf  iron,  in  one  of  its  most  pure  anrf 
beautiful  forms.      By  sifting  it,   and  grinding  the 
powder  in  oil,  it  would  prove  a  valuable  and  dura- 
ble pigment,  and  its  preparation  may  hereafter  be- 
come an  object  in  the  commerce  of  the  region. 

There  is  also  found  upon  some  parts  of  this  river 
a  white  clay,  which  has  been  thought  proper  for  the 
manufacture  of  fine  porcelain,  but  it  appears  to  be 
entirely  different  from  the  Petuntz  of  the  Chinese, 

or  the  porcelain  earth  of  Limoges,  or  Monckton 

The  latter  proceed  from  the  decomposition  ot 
graphic  granite  which  is  mostly  composed  of  feld- 
spar, and  occur  in  dry,  white,  friable  masses,  without 
any  of  that  pasticity  which  distinguishes  the  classes 
of  common  clays.  But  the  white  clay  of  St.  Peter's, 
Is  very  adhesive,  and  resembles  the  colourless  clays 


299 


of  the  Rhine,  which  arc  employed  in  tlie  lining  of  fur- 
naces where  an  intense  degree  of  heat  is  required, 
and  in  the  fabrication  of  chemical,  and  other  cruci- 
bles. The  specimens  which  I  procured,  are  veined  a 
little  with  red.  It  may  prove  valuable  in  the  mani- 
pulations of  the  glass-maker. 

This  river  has  long  been  noted  as  the  locality  of 
fhat  beautiful  red  stone  of  which  the  Indians  manu- 
facture the  bowls  of  their  pipes,  but  aAer  all  that 
has  been  said  on  tlie  subject,  by  Carver,Breckenridgev 
and  others,  it  does  not  appear  that  it  is  found  upon 
the  immediate  banks  of  this  stream.  The  quarry 
is  situated  in  the  prairie  country  intermediate  be- 
tween the  St.  Peter's  and  the  Sioux  river  of  the 
Missouri.  It  is  said  that  the  stratum  does  not  ex- 
ceed a  foot  in  thickness,  and  that  it  is  found  two  or 
three  feet  below  the  soil.  The  Indians  go  once  a 
year  to  procure  their  supplies,  and  as  it  has  been  re- 
sorted to  for  a  very  long  period,  the  excavations  are 
said  to  be  extensive,  and  if  the  accounts  are  to  be 
relied  on,  cover  an  area  of  fifty  acres.  This  stone 
is  a  red  staatito,  intermediate  in  its  qualities,  between 
the  ccinmon  soap-stone  and  serpentine.  It  yields 
ve  '''"  to  the  knife  when  first  taken  from  the 

quar  ^  .  as  it  has  no  grit,  may  be  sawed  without 
ifijory  i  .  mon  hand  saw,  but  it  acquires  a  de- 

gree of  htironess  by  long  exposure  to  the  air.  It  will 
not  take  a  polish  by  the  processes  pursued  in  our 
marble-yards,  as  I  have  ascertained  by  submitting  a 
piece  of  the  stone  to  the  experiment,  but  the  Indian 
pipes  assume  a  glossy  appearance  after  long  use. — 
A  considerable  degree  of  skill  is  manifested  by  the 
Indians  in  cutting  their  pipes,  and  the  form  and  di- 
mensions are  regulated  by  a  scrupulous  regard  to 


m 


! 


300 

fashion.   The  bowlg  are  invoriably  an  inverted  cone 
with  a  massy  projection  from  the  small  end  for  re- 
ceimg  the  stem,  as  represented  by  figure  4th  in 
plate  2d.     Ihis  part  of  the  pipe  is  generally  orna- 
inented  with  carved  work,  and  surmounted  with  a 
kind  of  comb.    The  stem  consists  of  wood,  and  is 
usually  from  three  to  four  feet  in  length  by  two  or 
three  inches  in  breadth  and  shaved  down  thin,  so  as 
to  resemble  a  spatula.     This  stem  is  highly  orna- 
inented  with   porcupine  quills,  of  various  colours, 
neatly  braided  in  bands  and  checquer-work  with  the 
exception  of  a  small  part  on  each  end,  which  is  left 
to  be  painted  over  with  green  or  blue  clay.    rSee 
fig.  a  plate  II.)      Pipe  stems  of  this  kind  are  appro- 
priated  to  the  chiefs,  and  are  carefully  laid  aside  for 
high  days  of  ceremony  and  feasting,  and  are  pre- 
sented  to  the  agents  of  government,  as  tokens  of 
their  sincerity,  at  all  public  conferences.     There  is 
another  kind  of  stem  which  is  peculiar  to  the  com- 
mon  warriors  or  soldiers,  and  consists  of  a  perfora- 
ted  rod  profusely  ornamented  with  stained  horse 
ha,r,  eagle  8  quills,  and  the  beautiful  green  feathers 
aken  from  the  head  and  neck  of  the  wild  duck.- 
(See  fig.  0.  plate  11.) 

«  A  little  way,"  says  Carver,  "from  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Peter  s,  on  the  north  side  of  it,  stands  a  hill 
one  part  of  which,  that  towards  the  Mississippi,  is 
composed  entirely  of  white  stone,  of  the  same  soft 
nature  as  that  1  have  before  described,  for  such 
indeed  is  all  the  stone  of  this  country :  but  what  ap- 
pears remarkable  is,  that  the  colour  of  it  is  as  whife 

tiff         ""•*?''  ^"^^  ^^^P^  «^  ««»^'  of  ^l^ich  a 
beautiful  composition  might  be  made ,-  or,  1  am  of  opin- 


if^^'X 


* 


# 


^ 


301 


ion,  that  when  properly  treated,  the  stone  itself  would 
grow  harder  by  time,  and  have  a  very  noble  effect 
II.  architecture."      The  rock  here  all' ded  to!  is  a 
white  sand  stone    which  is  first  seen  on  descending 
the  nyer,  at  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  forms  thf 
imposmg  bluffs  on  each  side  of  the  river  from  thai 
pent  to  the  vicinity  of  the  village  of  La  P^  Cor- 
beau,  a  distance  of  thirty.five  miles.    It  is  overlayed 
by  a  stratum  of  secondary  lime  stone,  containing  pe- 
tnfied  conchohtes,  and  attaining,  altogether,  an  el- 
evadon  of  about  two  hundred  feet  above  the  river 
On  the  top  of  this  bluff,  at  a  spot  directly  opposite 
the  site  of  the  proposed  fortification  at  St.  Peter's 
a  singular  formation  of  native  copper  has  recently 
been  discovered.     It  consists  of  small  pieces  of  this 
metal,  from  half  an  ounce  to  a  pound  in  weight,  scat- 
tered  over  a  natural  hillock  of  small  water-woni  peb- 
b^s,  or  nver-gravel.     This  is  covered  by  a  deposit 
of  ash-hke  earth  of  a  foot  in  thickness  and  taperinff 
away  very  gradually  towards  the  edge  of  the  hillock 

common  alluvia  soil,  in  which  large  fragments  of 
^ZaZ'  q"*^-;^'  and  hornblende,  are  plentifully 
imbedded,  and  lastly,  a  stratum  of  rich  black  allu- 
vion  without  any  imbedded  substances,   and  appa- 
rently  composed,  in  a  great  measure,  of  decayed 
leaves  and  ether  vegetable  matter.  This  is  eighteen 
inches  in  depth,  and  forms  the  surface  of  the  coun- 
try  which  IS  a  kind  of  open  highland  prairie,  covered 
with  grass,  and  scattering  oaks.    Being  told  of  this 
discovery  by  some  of  the  officers  of  the  garrison,  by 
whom  It  was  first  noticed  in  quarrying  stone  for 
chimnies,  I  visited  the  spot,  and  made  a  minute  ex- 
amination  of  appearances,  and  in  the  course  of  a 


# 


'# 


302 


P- 


short  time  found  a  number  of  specimens  of  the  cop* 
per  at  the  spot  indicated.  They  were  all  enveloped 
with  a  green  oxide. 

The  river  St.  Peter's  enters  the  Missinsippi  behind 
a  large  island  which  is  probably  three  miles  in  cir- 
cumference) and  is  covered  with  the  ipost  luxuriant 
growth  of  sugar  maple,  elm,  ash,  oak,  and  walnut. — 
At  the  point  of  embouchure  it  is  one  hundred  and 
fifly  yards  in  width,  with  a  depth  of  ten  or  fifteen 
feet.  Its  waters  are  transparent,  and  present  a  light 
blue  tint  on  looking  upon  the  stream.  Hence  the 
Indian  name  of  Wate-paw-mene-Sauta,  or  Clear-wa- 
ter-river. Among  the  forest  trees  upon  its  banks  we 
noticed  the  box-elder  (acer  negundo)  or  ash-leaved 
maple.  The  inner  bark  of  this  tree,  boiled  down 
with  the  common  nettle  into  a  strong  decoction,  is 
said  to  be  used  by  the  Indians  as  a  remedy  for  lues 
venerea,  an^  to  be  a  sovereign  cure  for  that  disor? 
der. 

There  is  a  mineral  spring,  in  a  deep  ravine,  a 
mile  northwest  of  the  new  cantonement.  It  depo- 
sits a  yellow  earthy  substance  in  great  abundance 
upon  the  stones  and  sticks  of  wood  over  which  it 
passes.  The  water  appears  to  be  impregnated  with 
iron  and  sulphur.  Another  similar  but  less  copious 
spring  is  found  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  very 
near  the  cantonement.  It  is  not,  however,  so  highly 
charged  with  chalybeate  properties. 

Among  the  luxuriant  herbage  which  character- 
izes the  prairies  of  St.  Peter's,  is  found  a  species  of 
aromatic  grass,  upon  which  a  high  value  is  set  by 
the  aborigines.  It  throws  off  the  most  fragrant  odour, 
and  retains  its  sweetness,  in  a  considerable  degree,  in 
the  dried  state.    It  is  cut  in  a  paricular  stage  pf  its 


» 


■^i- .  ^ 


i^*.A*v.-^'v' "    ■  '"'■''^r 


ravine,  a 


^03 

^^th  in  the  month  of  Jane,  when  it  throws  off  its 
aroma  most  profusely,  and  continues  to  be  gathered 
until  It  has  run  into  seed,  and  is  too  dry  to  be  plait- 
ed.    The  Indian  women  braid  it  up  in  a  very  inge- 
nious  manner  and  lay  it  aside  in  their  cabins,  as  a 
kind  of  nostrum,  and  1  have  once  seen  it  in  the  form 
ot  a  wreath  braided  with  certain  leaves  and  flowers, 
decorating  the  temples  of  a  warrior  who  had  just 
returned  in  triumph   from  battle.     Whether    this 
grass  is    the  same  with  the    heracleum.  panaces    of 
Kamschatka,  and  of  which  the  inhabitants  distil  an 
intoxicating  liquor,  similar  in  some  respects  to  bran- 
dy, 1  am  unable  to  determine.     It  appears  proba- 
We  It  may  possess  some  properties  in  common  with 
tbeholcus  fragrans  of  Pursh: 

Sir  Francis  Drake  in  his  first  visit  to  the  Gulf  of 
California,  in    iai7,  found  there  a  small  burrowing 
animal  which  be  describes  with  «  a  head  like  a  co- 
nic, the  feet  of  a  mole,  and  the  tail  of  a  rat,  with  a 
pouch  under  each  cheek."  It  appears  to  be  the  same 
ammal  which  is  here  known  by  the  name  of  the 
goptur,  and   which,  so  far  as  my  reading  extends, 
remains  undescribed  in  zoological  works.     I  had 
previously  noticed  the  ravages  of  this  animal  in  the 
prairies  of  Arkansas,  ploughing  up  in  some  instan- 
ces entire  fields,  and  mentioned  it  in  my  remarks 
upon  theMissourian  mines,  but  owing  to  its  extreme 
•hyiiess,  could  never  obtain  a  sight  of  the  animal.  ^ 
We  were  here,  however,  gratified,  through  the  po- 
liteness of  Col.  Leavenworth,  who  directed  a  couple 
of  soldiers  to  exert  themselves  in  procuring  one. 
It  IS  about  ten  inches  long  from  the  nose  to  the  in- 
sertion of  the  tail,  with  a  body  shaped  very  much 
like  that  of  a  large  wharf-rat,  which  it  also  resem- 


t 


304 


H 


bles  in  the  colour  of  its  hair  and  the  length  and  tlu- 
dity  of  its  tail.      Its  legs  are  short,  and  each  foot 
furnished  with  five  long  and  sharp  claws.    It  has 
two  large  fore  teeth  in  each  jaw,  resembling  those 
of  the  squirrel,  but  its  most  remarkable  character 
is  a  pouch  on  each  side  of  the  jaw  formed  by  a  du- 
plicature  of  the  skin  of  the  cheek.    These  project 
inwardly,  where  they  are  accommodated  by  an  un- 
usual width,  and  flattening  out  of  the  head.    As  the 
animal  lives  wholly  under  ground,  like  the  mole, 
these  pouches  serve  the  purpose  of  bags  for  carry- 
ing the  earth  out  of  their  holes.      They  are  filled 
with  the  fore  claws,  and  emptied  at  the  mouth  of  the 
hole  by  a  power  which  it  possesses  of  ejecting  the 
pouches  from  each  cheek,  in  the  manner  that  a  cap 
or  stocking  is  turned.    In  this  way  it  works  its  path 
under  ground,  and  ploughs  up  th#prairies  in  many 
places  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  white  hunters  of 
Missouri  and  Arkansas  frequently  avail  themselves 
of  the  labours  of  the  gopher  by  planting  corn  upon 
the  prairies  which  have  been  thus  mellowed.     It 
lives  entirely  upon  the  roots  of  plants  eating  ail  with 
indiscriminate  voracity,  and  has  been  found  partic- 
ularly destructive  to  beets,  carrots,  and  other  tap- 
rooted  plants  in  the  military  gardens  at  St.  Peter's. 

LXX.  Day. — {August  1st.) — ^A  treaty  of  peace 
was  this  day  concluded  between  the  Sioux  and  Chip- 
peways  in  the  presence  of  Governor  Cass,  Colonel 
Leavenworth,  Mr.  Tallifierro,  the  Indian  agent  at 
St.  Peter's,  and  a  number  of  the  officers  of  the  gar- 
rison. These  two  nations  have  been  at  war  from  the 
earliest  times,  and  the  original  causes  of  it  are  en- 
tirely forgotten,  but  still  the  ancient  enmity  is  care- 


305 

M\y  tranBoiitted  from  father  to  son.     It  is  supposed 
to  have  arisen  from  a  dispute  respecting  the  limits  of 
their  territories,  and  favourite  hunting  grounds,  but 
if  so,  nothing  was  agreed  upon  in  the  present  in- 
stance to  obviate  the  original  causes  of  enmity.    It 
wasonljstipulatedthat  hostilities  should  immediately 
cease  on  both  sides.  Several  of  the  chiefs  delivered 
their  opinions  upon  the  subject,  and  the  Sioux  ap- 
peared to  manifest  some  indifference  to  the  treaty, 
but  finally  consented  to  drop  the  hatchet  j  and  the' 
ceremony    concluded    with  smoking   the   pipe  of 
peace  and  shaking  hands.     In  this  nearly  every  In- 
dividual present  united.    The  Sioux  who  attended 
the  council  were  numerous,  having  been  gathering 
in  from  the  different  villages  from  the  time  of  our  ar- 
rival ;  on  the  part  of  the  Chippeways  there  were  on- 
ly present  the  deputies  who  accompanied  us  for  that 
purpose  from  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi.    The 
conduct  of  the  latter,  on  our  approach  to  St.  Peter's, 
manitested  the  anxiety  they  felt  on  the  subject,  at 
the  same  time  that  it  reveals  a  new  trait  in  the  char- 
acter and  customs  of  the  Indian  tribes.    During  the 
first  two  or  three  days  after  our  departure  from  San- 
dy Lake,  they  proceeded  very  much  at  their  ease, 
sometimes  ahead  of  the  expedition,  at  others  in  the 
rear— very  seldom  with  us,  and  at  night  they  usual- 
ly encamped  by  themselves  three  or  four  hundred 
yards  off:    But  the  moment  we  entered  the  Sioux 
territories,  they  made  it  a  point  to  keep  close  with 
the  expedition,  never  venturing  ahead,  or  lagging 
much  in  the  rear,  and  at  night  they  formed  their  en- 
campment in  the  midst  of  ours.    As  we  approached 
the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  they  requested  of  Governor 

39 


I 


36a 

Cass,  a  flag  for  their  canoe,  which  was  grante<j(,  an^ 
during  the  whole  of  that  day  they  kept  a  peace-pipe 
hoisted  on  the  bow  of  their  canoe.    When  we  em- 
barked below  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  they  com- 
menced beating  upon  their  drum,  sinking,  whoop- 
ing, and  frequently  firing  into  the  air,  increasing  the 
tumult  as  we  came  near  to  the  fort,  that  the  Sioux 
might  be  advertised  of  their  approach ;  but  the  prin- 
cipal object  of  these  ceremonies  was  to  let  their  en- 
emies  know,  that  they  came  unto  their  territories  up- 
on a  mission  of  peace-^-openly  and  boldly—and  ex- 
pected to  be  received  by  them  with  sentiments  of 
corresponding    liberality,    frankness,  and  concilia- 
tion.    Nor  were  they  disappointed ;  they  were  taken 
by  the  hand  in  a  friendly  manner  by  those  Sioux  who 
had  collected  on  our  first  landing  at  the  garrison^ 
and  the  pipe  of  peace  immediately  smoked  between 
them,  and  this  ceremony  continued  as  fast  as  th^ 
Sioux  arrived,  so  that  the  ol^ect  of  the  public  trea- 
ty held  at  the  department  of  the  Indian    agent, 
where  these  ceremonies  were  repeated,  was  more 
with  a  view  of  having  it  witnessed^  by  the  agents  of 
the  United  States,    than  to  render  binding  upon 
their  respective  tribes,  a  pacification  which  had  al- 
ready been  privately  and  individually  determined 
upon.    It  has,  however,  been  mentioned,  that  there 
was  some  indifference  manifested  to  this  treaty  on 
die  part  of  the  Sioux,  and  those  chiefs  and  warriors 
who  discovered  this  unconquerable  spirit  of  animos- 
ity, could  not  be  induced  to  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace, 
although  the  cessation  of  hostilities  had  their  tacit 
consent.     Whether  the  peace  will  prove  a  perma- 
nent one,  may  be  doubted.    Ail  their  ancient  preji^- 
dices  will  urge  them  to  a  violation  of  it,  while  past 


307 

etperientee  abundantly  shews  how  difficult  it  has 
been  to  pi^^serve  a  lasting  pcice  between  two  pow- 
erfu  nval  tribes  of  savages,  whose  predominant  dis. 
position  18  war,  and  if  a  durable  peace  should  result 
from  the  laudable  exertions  of  the  agents  of  govern- 
merit  ,n  effecting  this  pacific  conference,  it  will  pro- 
bab^  be  owing  in  a  great  measure  to  a  continuance 
6t  those  exertions,  supported  as  they  are,  by  the  in- 
fluence of  the  garrisons  at  St.  Peter's,  Prairie  du 
Chien,  Council  Bluffs,  Green  Bay,  and  other  mi- 
nor posts  along  our  extensive  Indian  frontiers.    In 
1805,  a  treaty  of  peace  was  conchided  between  the 
Sioux  and  Chippeways  at  the  instance  of  Lieuten- 
ant  Pike.      It  continued   as  long   as   he   remained 
among  them.    In  the  fall  of  1818,  a  pacification  took 
place  at  St.  Louis  under  the  auspices  of  Governor 
Clark,  between  the  Osages  and  the  Cherokees.  The 
Jatter  renewed    hostilities  be/ore  they  reached  their 
homes.    This  only  proves,  that  treaties  of  peace  be- 
tween Indian  tribes,  like  those  between  civilized  na- 
lons,  only  amount  to  a  momentary  cessation  of  hos- 
tihties,  unless  the  limits  of  their  territories,  andoth- 
er  subjects  pf  dispute,  are  accurately  defined,  and 
satisfactorily  settled. 

The  numerical  strength  of  the  Sioux  nation  was 
stated  by  the  late  General  Pike  at  21,675,  three 
thousand  eight  hundred  of  whom  are  warriors.  This 
18  the  most  powerful  .ndian  tribe  in  North  America 
It  consists  of  seven  bands,  namely,  the  Minokan^ 

tongs,theYengetongs,theSissitongs,theWahpetongs, 
the  Titongs,  the  Mendewacantongs,  and  the  Wash- 
pecoutongs  These  are  independent  bands,  under 
their  own  chiefs,  but  united  in  a  confederacy  for  the 
protection  of  their  territori#.«.  on^  o««j  j-l..*:-_ .. 


308 


I 


a  general  council  of  the  chiefB  and  warriors  when- 
ever the  concerns  of  their  nation  require  it.  If  one 
of  the  tribes  is  attacked,  the  others  are  expected 
to  assist  in  the  repulsion  of  the  enemy.  They  in- 
habit all  the  country  between  the  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  rivers,  from  north  latitude  about  46*  to 
the  junction  of  these  rivers  near  St.  Louis,  with  tri- 
fling exceptions  in  favour  of  some  scattered  bands  of 
Foxes,  Sacs,  and  Kickapoos.  Their  country  also 
extends  south  of  the  Missouri,  where  the  principal 
part  of  the  Titongs  reside,  and  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi to  the  territories  of  the  Chippeways — the  Win- 
nebagoes,  and  the  Menomonies.  The  greatest 
chief  of  the  nation,  at  present,  i^  Talangamane,  or 
the  Red  wing. 

The  Minokantongs,  or  people  of  the  waters,  are 
located  at  St  Peter's,  and  along  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi  towards  Prairie  du  Chien.  They  reside 
in  four  principal  villages,  distinguished  by  the  names 
of  their  respective  chiefs ;  Chatawaconamie,  or  La 
Petit  Corbeau — Talangamane,  or  the  Red  wing — 
Tatamane,  or  the  wind-that- walks,  and  Wabashaw. 

The  Yengetongs  and  the  Sissitongs  inhabit  the  up- 
per parts  of  the  river  St.  Peter's,  and  are  sometimes 
called  the  Sioux  of  the  Plains.  Their  traffic  is  prin- 
cipally in  Buffalo  robes.  The  first  chief  is  Muck- 
peanutah,  or  the  Red  Cloud.  The  Wahpetongs,  or 
people  of  the  Leaves,  are  the  most  erratic  in  their 
dispositions  of  all  the  Sioux.  They  inhabit  the  St 
Peler's  between  the  Prairie  De  Franyois  and  the 
White  Rock,  during  a  part  of  the  year,  and  general- 
ly go  out  to  hunt  above  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  to^ 
wards  the  sources  of  the  river  De  Corbeau,  and  up- 
on the  plains  which  give  origin  to  the  Crow,  Sac, 


309 
t. 
and  Elk  rivers.    Their  principal  chief  is  Wakunska, 
or  the  Rolling  Thunder. 

The  Titongs  inhabit  both  banks  of  the  Missouri, 
and  rove  in  quest  of  game  over  an  immense  extent 
of  country.  They  are  said  to  be  related  to  the  Ma- 
Jias,  and  some  other  bands  south  of  the  Missouri. 

The  Mendewacantongs,  or  people  of  the  Medicine 
Lake, — the  Washpecoutongs,  or  people  of  the 
Leaves  who  have  relhawuy^  and  some  other  scattered 
bands  whose  names  are  unknown,  inhabit  the  coun- 
try generally,  from  the  §t.  Peter's  south  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Missouri,  and  are  chiefly  located  upon  the 
sources  of  I  he  rivers  Ocano,  Iowa,  and  Desmoines. 

Tlje  Sioux  are  generally  represented  as  a  brave, 
spirited,  and  generous  people,  with  proud  notions 
of  their  origin  as  a  tribe,  and  their  superiority  as 
hunters  and  warriors,  and  with  a  predominant  pas- 
sion for  war.  They  speak  the  Narcotah  language, 
which  is  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  appears  to  have 
little  aflinity  with  any  other  Indian  tongue.  It  is  not 
so  soft  and  sonorous  as  the  Algonquin  which  abounds 
in  labials,  but  more  so,  than  the  Winnebago,  which 
is  the  most  harsh  and  gutteral  language  in  America. 
The  Narcotah  sounds  to  an  English  ear,  like  the 
Chinese,  and  both  in  this,  and  other  respects,  the 
Sioux  are  thought  to  present  many  points  of  coinci- 
dence. It  is  certain  that  their  manners  and  customs 
differ  essentially  from  those  of  any  other  tribe,  and 
their  physiognomy,  as  well  as  their  language,  and 

opinions,  mark  them  as  a  distinct  race  of  people. 

Their  sacrifices  and  their  supplications  to  the  un- 
known God— their  feasts  after  any  signal  deliver- 
ance from  danger— their  meat,  and  their  burnt  of- 
ferings—the preparation  of  incense,  and  certain  cus- 


I 


^10 

toms  of  their  females,  offer  loo  striking  a  coinci. 
dence  with  the  manners  of  the  Asiatic  tHb«8  befori 
the  commencement  df  the  christiatt  era,  to  escape 
observation,  while  their  paintings  and  hierdglyphicb 
bear  so  much  analogy  to  thos^  ofthe  Azteeks  of  Mek- 
ico,  A9  to  rehdfer  it  probable  thftt  the  lAtter  are  oi* 
Naudowessian  Origin.      Buf  •      ^  hints  are  merely 
thrown  out  for  the  investigawV        Ae  foture  enqui- 
rer, as  mj^  limited  opportunities  df  ol^ervation,  and 
the  short  period  of  our  sojournment  among  them, 
forbid  Any  thing  like  systematic  reiearcb,  which  is 
the  morte  to  be  regretted  as  this  tribe  has  recently 
assumed  a  moro  interesting  attitude  with  rfespect  to 
the  Unitfed  States,  and  as  the  time  for  conducting 
these  enquiries  with  any  probability  of  success,  is 
rapidly  receding  under  the  prfessurfe  of  an  tenter- 
prizing  Europeati  population.     It  is  to   be  hoped 
that  some  spirited  tr^relloi-,  ftosstessed  pf  the  ne- 
cessary qualifipations,  will  select  their  territories  as 
the  theatre  of  his  researches,  and  I  dO<ibt  not,  that  he 
would  find  more  among  them  to  elucidate  the  origin 
and  history  of  the  fiborigines  of  out*  fcouritry,  than 
among  any  othet  tribe  upon  the  continent. 

<'From  my  knowledge  Of  the  Sioux  nation,"  olb- 
serves  Lieutenant  Pike,  "I  do  not  hesitate  to  pro- 
nounce them  the  most  warlike  and  indepetideiit  na- 
tron of  Indians  within  the  boUnddrifes  of  ihc  United 
States,  their  every  passion  being  subservient  i6  that 
of  war;  but  at  the  same  time  their  tfaders  feel  theto- 
selvcs  perfectly  secure  of  any  Combination  Uih^ 
made  against  them,  but  it  is  ekti^^mely  hecess^y  to 
be  eareful  not  to  injure  the  honour  of  an  indrvfdual, 
whieh  is  certainly  the  caus€<yr<he  iftahy  bi^oils  Which 
(W^up  between  them.  But  h^i^^t  WAU  a  trtifer  MrtbW^ 


3ij 

eo  BuflTerin  (he  estiriation  of  the  natfon  by  rcsentinit 
dny  indignity  offered  him ;  even  if  he  went  to  taking 
^e  hfe  of  the  offender.  Their  guttural  pronuncia- 
lion-high  cheek  bones-their  visages,  and  distinct 
manners,  together  with  their  own  traditions,  sup- 
ported  by  the  testimony  of  neighbouring  nations, 
put  It  in  my  mind  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt 
that  they  have  emigrated  from  the  northwest  point 
of  America,  to  which  they  had  come  across  the 
narrow  streights,  which  in  that  quarter,  divi<;3  the 
two  continents ;  and  are  absolutely  descendants  of  a 
Tartarean  tribe."* 

As  an  instance  of  the  generosity  of  this  nation, 
the  following  anecdote  is  related.     La  PeUt  Cor- 
beau,  chief  of  a  small  band  of  Sipux,  located  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  towards  the  confines  of 
the  Chippeway  territories,  going  out  one  morning  to 
examine  Jms  beaver  trap,  found  a  Sauteur  in  the  act 
of  slMling  it.    He  bad  approached  without  exciting 
alarm,  and  while  the  Sauteur  was  engaged  in  taking 
the  trap  from  the  water,  he  stood  maturely  survey- 
ing him  with  a  Ipaded  ride  inhis  hands.    As  the  two 
nations  were  at  war,  and  the  offence  was  in  itself  one 
of  themost  l^einous  nature,  he  would  have  been  jus- 
tified  m  killing  him  upon  the  spot,  and  the  thief  look- 
eA  lor  nothing  else,  on  finding  himself  detected.  But 
%  Sioux  chief  walking  up  to  him  discovered  a  no- 
bleness of  disposition  which  would  have  done  hon- 
oqp  to  the  most  enlightened  of  men.      «  Take  no 
alarm,  said  he,  at  my  approach;  I  only  come  to  pre- 
sent  to  you  the  trap  of  which  I  see  you  stand  ui 
nwd.   You  are  entire:,  welcome  to  it.  Take  my  gun 

♦Pike'B  Expeditions. 


^ 


312 


I -I 


also,  as  I  perceive  you  have'  none  of  your  own,  and 
depart  v^ith  it  to  the  land  of  your  countrymen,  but 
linger  not  here,  lest  some  of  my  young  menivho  are 
panting  for  the  blood  of  their  enemies,  should  dis- 
cover your  foot  steps  in  our  country,  and  fall  upon 
you."  So  saying,  he  delivered  him  his  gun  and  ac- 
coutrements, and  returned  unarmed  to  the  village  of 
virhicfa  he  is  so  deservedly  the  chief. 

There  are  several  antique  mounds  and  circumvalla- 
tions  upon  the  banks  of  the  St.  Peter's,  which  are  said 
to  indicate  an  industrious  population,  and  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  geometrical  solids,  which  are 
still  to  be  traced  among  the  full-grown  trees  of  the 
forest  which  now  overshadows  these  enigmatical 
works.  The  most  remarkable  of  these,  are  stated  to 
be  about  forty  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Pe- 
ter's, near  the  junction  of  that  branch  which  is  de- 
nominated Carver's  river.      I  regret  that  1  can  day 

nothing  ^concerning  them  from  actual  inspection. 

They  are  among  the  number  of  interesting  traits, 
the  examination  and  description  of  which,  would 
so  richly  reward  an  exploration  of  this  important 
river. 

About  six  miles  west  of  the  new  cantonement 
there  are  several  beautiful  little  lakes,  situated  in 
the  prairies.  They  consist  of  the  purest  water  and 
are  surrounded  with  a  handsome  beach  of  yellow 
sand  and  water-worn  pebbles,  among  which  are  to 
be  found  fragments  of  the  most  highly-coloured  car- 
nelians,  and  ribband  agates.  The  largest  of  these 
lakes  is  about  four  miles  in  circumference,  and  i» 
called  Calhoun  lake.  It  is  stored  with  the  most  ex- 
quisite flavoured  black  bass  and  several  other  vari- 
eties of  fish,  and  has  become  a  fashionable  resort 


:3i3 

for  the  officers  of  the  garrison.  The  intermediate 
country  is  a  prairie,  and  is  travelled  in  all  directions 
on  horseback.  It  is  not,  however,  a  level  plain,  but 
consists  of  geatle  slopes  and  ascents,  and  the  clumps 
of  trees  which  are  scattered  over  it,  give  a  pleasing 
variety  to  the  scene.  In  the  season  of  verdure,  the 
waving  heath-grass,— the  profusion  of  wild  flowers, 
and  the  sweet-scented  Indian  grass,  while  they  fill 
the  m  with  a  refreshing  fragrance,  delight  the  eye 
with  the  richness  and  never-ending  variety  of  their 
colours;  and  viewed  under  the  influence  of  a  gentle 
western  breeze,  which  is  seldom  wanting,  leave  no- 
thing to  complete  the  picture  of  the  most  enchanting 
rural  beauty. 

Among  the  animated  productions  of  nature  which 
serve  to  enliven  and  diversify  the  scene,  there  is  a 
new  species  of  burrowing  squirrel,  something  larger 
than  the  common  striped  ground  squirrel,  with  an 
elongated  body  and  short  legs,  approaching  in  shape 
the  mustela  nivalis,  or  brown  weasel.    But  the  most 
strikingdifference  is  found  in  its  colour,  which  is  ared- 
dish  brown  with  four  longitudinal  black  stripesupon 
the  back,  spotted*  with  yellow,  and  resembling  in  this 
respect,  the  skin  of  the  African  leopard.  It  is  a  beau- 
tiful little  animal— burrows  in  the  ground,  and  feeds 
upon  ground  nuts  and  esculent  roots.    It  has  been 
found  destructive  to  the  gardens  at  St.  Peter's. 

The  temperature  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the 
changes  of  weather  during  the  journey  from  Sandy 
lake,  are  indicated  by  the  follqtwing— 

40 


314 

Meteorological  Table. 


1890. 

A.  M.  1  i>.  M. 

Mean 
temp. 

~U 
67 
78 
66 
63 

Windi. 

WEATHER. 

5 

7    8    3    R 

9 

July  25 

7\  85  74 

Fair.    Rain  at  night. 

-     36 

61 

81  61 

8.  W. 

Mor.cloudy.witki  rain--ey»n  otear. 

•   ar 

^ 

80  75 

Fair. 

•     38 

6« 

76  61 

Morn,  fair— afternoon  rain. 

-    «9 

s5 

74gF~ 

Pair.    Flying  clouda. 

.    30 

60 

76      63 

66 

r   w. 
\v. 
w. 

Fair. 

-     31 

65 

81       ^ 

73 

7i 

•  ■ 

Aug.   1 

67 

83  70 

m   m 

|8)M4| 

1                                             69f  mean  temperature. 

[ER. 

■ht. 

n--«T»n  olear. 

loon  ram. 

Ida. 

CHAPTER  Xt. 


J  O  URJVEY^ 


FROM  St.  PETEIPS  TO  PRAIRIE  DU  CHISX. 


H»' 


LXXI.  DKY.—(Jugti8t  2d.) 


Leaving  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Peter's  at  nine 
o'clock,  we  proceeded  down  the  Missispippi  thirty* 
eight  mihs,  and  encamped  at  twilight  upon  the  west 
shore,  nine  leagues  below  the  village  of  La  Petit 
Corbeau.    About  twelve  miles  below  the  new  garri- 
iionat  St  Peter's,  we  stopped  to  examine  a  remarka- 
ble cavern  on  the  east  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  called 
Wakon-Uebt;^  by  the  Narcotah  or  Sioux  Indians,  but 
which,  in  compliment  to  the  memory  of  its  first  Eu- 
ropean   visitor,   should  be   denominated   Carver's 
cave.    It  is  situated  in  a  rock  of  the  most  beautiful 
white  sand  stone,  at  the  head  of  a  small  valley  about 
four  hundred  yards  from  the  banks  of  the  river.    Its 
mouth  is  about  sixty  02:  seventy  feet  wide  and  twen- 
ty in  height,  but  the  former  soon  decreases  to  about 
twenty  feeft,  and  the  latter  to  seven.     This  width 
gradually  lessens  as  you  advance  during  the  first 
hundrec!  yards,  but  the  height  remains  nearly  the 
same,  so  that  a  man  can  walk  without  stooping.— 
Then  it  tapers  into  a  narrow  passage,  where  it  i^ 


3I(i 

iiecesHarjr  to  creep,  .vhieh  suddc.Iy  opena  into  d 
spacious  chamber.      From  Ihfs  a  narrow  crevice 
contmuesas  far  as  it  ha.  been  eiplored.    Some  of 
our  partj  pursued  it  four  hundred  ^ards  by  the  light 
of  wax  candles.     It  is  very  damp  and  chilly.  There 
,      18  a  handsome  stream  of  pure  water  running  from  its 
T  ^L  7^^*^"P«'•«t"••e  of  the  air  in  the  cave  was 
^4  -that  of  the  water  <J7°.    As  it  is  situated  ,n  sand 
stone  rock,  it  affords  no  stalactites,  or  spars.    Some 
parts  of  the  rock  at  the  mouth  are  coloured  green 
probably  by  the  carbonat  of  copper.      The  bed  of 
the  brook  is  composed  of  a  Crystalline  sand  of  the 
mbst  snowy  whiteness,  originating  from  the  disin- 
tegration  of  the  surrounding  walls.      Scattered  over 
this,  are  a  number  of  small  pebbles  of  so  ii  tensely 
black  a  colour  as  to  create  a  pleasing  contrast, 
when  viewed  through  the  medium  of  a  clear  stream. 
Ihescon  examination,  proved  to  be  masses  of  lime 
stone,  granite,  and  quartz,  coloured  externally  by  a 
thin  deposit  of  earthy  matter,  and  I  conclude  the 
colour  to  proceed  from  the  gallic  acid,  with  which 
the  water,  percolating  into  the  cavern,  through  the 
beds  of  oak  leaves  of  the  superincumbent  forest 
may  be  partially  saturated.      This  cave  has  been 
visited  by  most  persons  who  have  passed  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi, if  we  may  judge  from  the  number  of  names 
found  upon  the  walls.    Among  them  we  were  inform- 
ed  was  that  of  Captain  Carver,  who  visited  it  in  1768. 
but  we  did  not  observe  it.     His  grant  of  land  from 
the  Indians,  is  dated  in  this  cave,  but  the  cave  it- 
self,  appears  to  have  undergone  a  considerable  al- 
teration since  thai  period,  for  he  says  that  "about 
twenty  feet  from  the  entrance  begins  a  lake,  Ihe  wa- 
ter of  which  IS  transparent,  and  extends  to  an  un- 


317  u, 

.earchabte  dista.  ce."  A.  the  rock  i,  of  a  very  fria- 
blc  nature,  and  easily  acted  upon  by  running  wa- 
ter,  ,t  ,s  probable  that  the  lake  has  been"2a  ' 
ed,  thus  enlarging  the  boundarie.  of  the  care  He 
also  remark.,  "  At  a  little  distance  from  this  drear^ 
cavern,  isthe  burying  place  of  s.veral  band,  of  the 
Nawdo„e,.e  (Sioux)  Indian,.  Though  .he«plt 
pie  have  no  fixed  residence,  living  in  tents,  and  abi- 
ding but  a  (ew  months  in  one  spot,  yet  thU  alwa™ 
bnng  the  bones  of  their  dead  to  this  placed  S 

f«^f  r!^  ■'.*''"""'''•  "»■•  «o  settle  the  public 
altairs  for  the  ensuing  summer."  We  noUced  no  bonea 

or  traces  of  interment  about  the  cave,  but  perhaps 
a  farther  examination  of  the  adjacent  region  would 
have  led  to  a  discovery. 

thJ.°iH  ""*/,  ''n°T  ^'"^'''  «=«»*'  "^  landed  at 
fte  village  of  La  Petit  Corbeau,  or  the  Little  Raven 

Here  .s  a  Sioux  band  of  twelve  lodges,  and  eo^sTsU 
■ngof  about  two  hundred  souls,  who  ^lant  07,^1 
on  the  adjoining  plain,  and  cultivate  thecucumbT 
and  pumpkin.  They  sallied  from  their  lodges  o^ 
seeing  us  approach,  and  gathering  upon  the  bank  of 

Inr?  "■"'"'  °'>«^'»J»<i manifest^  the 
almost  satisfaction  on  our  landing.     La  Petit  Cor 
beau  was  among  the  first  to  greet  us.     He  is  a  man 
below  the  common  size,  but  brawny  and  well  2" 
portioned,  and  although  rising  of  filly  years  of  Z 

great  deal  of  fire  in  his  eyes  which  are  black  u,d 
p^rcmg-his  nose  is  prominent  and  has  the  ajih^f 

ele  and  h  kT' *"""«  " '*"'■'*»■»  *" ^^^^ 
gk  and  his  whole  countenance  animated,  and  ex- 
pressive of  a  shrewd  mind.     We  were  conducted 


/: 


ai8 

into  his  cabin  which  is  spacious,  being  ahotit  sixty 
feet  in  length  by  thirty  in  width—biiiit  in  a  perma- 
nent manner  of  logs,  and  covered  tvith  bark.    Be- 
ing seated,  he  addressed  Governor  Cass  in  a  speech 
of  some  length,  in  which  he  expressed  \m  satisfac* 
tion  on  seeing  him  there,  and  said  that  in  his  exten- 
sive journey  he  must  have  experienced  a  good  ma- 
ny hardships  and  difficulties,  and  seen  a  great  deal 
of  the  Indian  way  of  living,  and  of  the  country—all 
of  which  would  enable  him  to  see  things  in  their 
proper  light.    He  said  he  was  glad  that  the  Govern- 
or had  not,  like  many  other  oflficers  and  agents  of  the 
United  States  who  had  lately  visited  those  regions, 
passed  by  his  village  without  calling.  He  particularly 
alluded  to  the  officers  of  the  establishment  at  St.  Pe- 
ter's, and  said  they  had  generally  passed  upon  the  oth- 
er sirte  of  the  river.  He  observed  that  he  had  attend* 
ed  several  councils  at  St.  Peter's,  and  given  away  a 
number  of  pipes,  but  got  nothing  in  return.    He  ac- 
quiesced in  the  treaty  which  had  lately  been  conclu- 
ded with    the  Chippeways,   and  was   happy  that 
a  stop  had  been  put  to  the  effusion  of  human  blood. 
He  then  adverted  to  a  recent  attack  of  a  party  of 
Fox  Indians  upon  some  of  their  people  towards  the 
sources  of  the  river  St.  Peter's,  in  which  nine  men 
had  been  killed.     He  considered  it  a  dastardly  act, 
and  said  if  that  Utile  tribe,  should  continue  to  haunt 
their  territories  in  a  hostile  manner,  they  would  at 
length  drive  him  into  anger,  and  compel  him  to  do  a 
thing  he  did  not  wish.     These  were  the  principal 
topics  of  his  speech ;  some  minor  points  were  ad- 
verted to,  and  he  several  times  repeated  his  obliga- 
tions for  the  honour  of  our  visit.     He  spoke  with  de- 
liberation, and  without  that  wild  gesticulation  which 


319 

«  common  among  aavages.  Two  or  three  other 
persons  aaerwards  spoke,  but  I  was  not  struck  with 
any  expressions  of  much  point,  they  repeated 
seyeral  things  that  had  before  been  said,  and  deliv- 
ered pacific  sentimenU  in  the  most  furious  manner. 

While  these  things  were  going  forward,  the  Indian 
women  were  busily  engaged  in  gathering  green  com, 
and  each  one  came  into  the  centre  of  the  chiefs 
cabin  and  threw  a  basket  full  upon  a  common  pile, 
wnicfi  made  a  formidable  appearance  before  thp 
speakers  ceased,  ar.d  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to 
forbid  their  bringing  more.  This  was  intended  as 
a  present,  and  we  took  away  as  much  as  we  could 
conveniently  find  storage  for,  in  our  canoes. 

Our  attention  was  now  drawn  off  by  the  sounds  of 
Indian  music  which  proceeded  from  another  large 
cabin  at  no  great  distance,  but  we  found  the  doors 
closed,  and  were  informed  that  they  were  celebrating 
an  annual  least,  at  which  only  certain  persons  in  the 
village  were  allowed  to  be  present,  and  that  it  was 
not  customary  ever  to  admit  strangers.    Our  curios- 
ity, however,  being  excited,  we  applied  to  Govern- 
or Cass  to  intercede  for  us,  and  were  by  that  means 
admitted.    The  first  striking  object  presented  was 
two  large  kettles  full  of  green  corn,  cut  from  the  cob 
and  boiled.    They  hung  over  a  moderate  fire  in  the 
centre  of  the  cabin,  and  the  Indians,  both  men  and 
women,  were  seated  in  a  large  circle  around  them. 
1  hey  were  singing  a  doleful  song  in  the  savage  man- 
ner,  accompanied  by  the  Indian  drum,  and  gourd- 
rattle.      The  utmost  solemnity  was  depicted  upon 
every    countenance  not  engaged    in    singing,  and 
when  the  music  ceased,  which  it  frequently  did  for 
afewsccondi,  there  was  a  still  ftndmysterious  pause 


.    1 


€j 


':m^' 


320 

during  which  certain  pantomimic  signs  were  made» 
and  it  appeared  as  if  they  pretended  to  hold  commu- 
nication with  invisible  spirits.     Suddenly  the  music 
struck  upf  and  the  singing  commenced,  but  as  we 
did  not  understand  their  language,  it  is  impossible 
to  say  what  they  uttered,  or  to  whom  their  supplica- 
tions or  responses  were  addressed.     In  the  course 
of  these  ceremonies  a  young  man  and  his  sister,  join- 
ing hands,  came  forward  towards  the  centre  of  the 
cabin.    We  were  told  they  were  about  to  be  admit- 
ted to  the  rights  of  partaking  of  the  feast,  but  there 
W8?  ijothing  striking  in  the  ceremony,  and  all  its  in- 
terest was  lost  to  us,  because  we  could  not  under- 
stand the  question^  which  were  asked  and  the  an* 
swers  given.     The  voice  of  every  one  appeared  to 
be  taken  in  their  admission,  which  was  unanimous. 
When  this  ceremony  ceased,  one  of  the  elder  In- 
dians, dished  out  all  the  boiled  corn  into  separate 
dishes  for  as  many  heads  of  families  as  there  were 
present,  putting  an  equal  number  of  ladles  full  into 
each  dish.     Then,  while  the  music  continued,  they, 
one  by  one,  took  up  their  dishes  and  retiring  from  the 
cabin  by  a  backward  step,  so  that  they  still  faced 
the  kettles,  separated  to  their  respective  lodges,  and 
thus  the  ceremony  ceased.    We  are  told,  however, 
that  several  important  things  were  omitted  on  ac- 
count of  our  being  present.     From  all  that  could  be 
learned,  it  was  a  feast  in  honour  of  the  Cereal  god- 
dess, or  manito,  of  the  Indians,  which  is  annually  held 
when  the  corn  first  becomes  suitable  for  boiling  in 
the  ear. 

LXXII.  Day.-— (Mgust  3d.)— We  embarked  at  five 
o'clock.     On  descending  th,e  riyer  six  miles,  wo 


* 


■'W' 


321 
^sed  the  mouth  of  the  river  St  Crou,  which  en- 

J^rfs"n  width' '  1.°"  "' "  '='"'™"  "'  •"«  "«<» 
yards  in  width.    It  a  connected  by  a  portaee  of  two 

pause,,  with  the  Boi ,  Brule  river  of  UkeXptril" 
and  m  .t,  whole  extent  i,  not  interrupted  b,  a  s.V 
g  e  fall  or  rapid.  It  i.  ,aid  to  be  the  1st  pLtica- 
ble,  easy,  and  expeditious  Water  communication 
between  the  Mississippi  river  and  Lake  Supe,S  !- 
About  five  hundred  yari,  above  its  mouth,  it  ex. 
p.nd,,„toa  lake,  called  Lake  St.  Croix,  ;hiehii' 
thirty-ax  miles  long,  and  from  one  and  a  half  to 
three  in  breadth.     Sixty  miles  above  the  head  of 

ment.    The  country  around  its  mouth  ia  claimed  by 

Pn^r'"-  '"'».""=*»  ""^  '"''"•'ited  by  .band  of 
Foilfe  avome  Chippeway,,  and  the  Chippeways  of 
the  Burnt  woods.     There  is  an  island  in  the^Mit 
siss^p.  opposite  its  juncUon.  At  this  place,  the  river 
blufe  assume  an  increased  height,  and  more  imno- 
».ng  aspect,  ami  h.  the  course  of  the  succe^ST 
Wly  miles,  we  are  presented  with  some  of  the  most 
majestic  and   pleasing  scenery  which  adorns  the 
bank,  of  the  upper  Mississippi.     In  many  place. 
Uie  calcareous  blufle  terminate  in  pyramids  of  na! 
ked  rocks,  which  resemble  the  crumbling  ruins  of 
antique  towers,  and  aspire  to  such  a  giddy  heieht 
above  the  level  of  the  water,  that  the  scattered  oaks 
which  cing  around  their  rugged   summ^lTseeo 
dwindled  to  the  most  diminutive  size;-at  othe«^ 
ttie  river  IS  contracted  between  two  perpendicular 
wans  of  opposing  rock,  which  appear  to  have  been 
sundered  to  aUow  it  an  undisturbed  passage  to*" 
ocean,  and  not  unfrequently,  these  walls  ue  half 

41 


322 


hurled  in  their  own  ruins,  and  present  a  striking 
example  of  the  wasting  elfects  of  time  upon  the  cal- 
careous strata  of  our  planet.  Sometitnesi  tiiere  is  a 
rock  bluff  on  one  bank,  and  an  extensive  plain  of  al- 
luvion on  the  other,  contrasting  with  the  finest  effect, 
the  barrenness  of  the  mineral,  with  the  luxuriant 
herbage,  and  the  r»ral  beauty,  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom.  Again,  the  hills  recede  from  either  shore, 
and  are  veiled  in  the  azure  tint  of  the  distant  land- 
scape, while  the  river  assumes  an  amazing  width, 
and  is  beautified  with  innumerable  islands,  and  we 
find  ourselves  atottce  bewildered  between  the  infin- 
ity of  ii«  channels,  and  the  attractive  imagery  of  its 
banks.  Nor  is  the  presence  of  animated  nature 
wanting,  to  enrich  and  beautify  the  scene.  The 
deer  is  frequently  seen  standing  in  the  cool  current 
of  the  stream,  gathering  the  moss  from  the  hidden 
rocks  below,  or  surveying  our  approach  from  the 
grassy  summit  of  the  impending  cliff,  with  an  un- 
concern, which  ti.'ls  us  how  little  it  is  acquainted 
with  the  sight  of  man.  The  whole  tribe  of  water- 
fowl are  found  u;  on  the  river,  and  by  the  variety  of 
their  plumage,  and  their  shapes — the  wildness  of 
their  notes — and  the  ilapping  of  their  wings,  serve 
to  diversify  the  scene,  while  the  well  known  notes  of 
the  robin,  and  other  singing  birds  upon  the  shores, 
which  are  the  same  that  we  have  listened  to  in  child- 
hood, recall  a  train  of  tljc  most  pleasing  reflections. 
Nor  is  the  red  man,  the  lord  of  the  forest,  wanting. 
His  cottage  is  disclosed  by  the  curling  smoke  upon 
tlie  distant  hills,  where  he  surveys  with  a  satisfied  eye 
the  varied  creation  upon  the  plains  below; — the 

deer the    elk— the  water  fowl — the  river  which 

floats  his  canoe— the  trees  which  overshadow  the 


323 

grassy  hills  upon  which  he  reposes  during  the  heals 
of  noon — the  thickets,  where  he  arouses  the  sleep- 
ing bear— the  prairie,  which  gives  vigour  to  his  con- 
stitution, and  while  he  lifts  his  eye  in  gratitude  to 
the  great  spirit  of  life,  for  all  these  various  bles- 
sings, exclaims  with  Jhe  genuine  poet  of  nature^ 

«« CrcaHon's  heir— the  world—lhe  world  IS  mine."  * 

At  twelve  o'clock  we  arrived  at  the  Sioux  village 
of  Taiangamane,  or  the  Red  wing,  which  is  hand- 
somely situated  on  the  west  banks  of  the  river,  six 
miles  above  Lake  Pepin.    It  consists  of  four  large, 
and  several  small  lodges,  built  of  logs  in  the  man- 
ner of  the  little  Raven's  village.     Talangamane  is 
now  considered  the  first  chief  of  his  nation,  which 
honour  it  is  said  he  enjoys  both  on  account  of  his 
superior  age  and  sagacity.    He  appears  to  be  about 
sixty,  and  bears  all  the  marks  of  that  age.    Very 
few  of  his  people  were  at  home,  being  engaged  in 
hunting  or  fishing.    We  observed  several  fine  corn 
fields  near  ^he  village,  but  they  subsist  chiefly  by 
taking  sturgeon  in  the  neighbouring  la|ce,  and  by 
hunting  the  deer.     The  buffalo  is  also  occasionally 
killed,  but  they  are  obliged  to  go  two  days  journey 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  before  this  animal  is  found 
in  plenty.    We  observed  several  buffalo  skins  which 

were  undergoing  the  Indian  process  of  tanning. 

The  hair  having  been  taken  off"  in  the  manner  of 
dressing  deer  skins,  the  hides  were  stretched  out 
upon  the  ground  and  covered  with  a  decoction  of 
oak  and  other  bark,  prepared  by  boiling  the  bits  of 
bark  in  water.  A  black  colour  was  thus  communi- 
cated to  the  skin,  and  it  is  probable  that  sufficient 


as4 


f 


of  the  astringent  principle  of  the  bark  is  thus  made 
to  unite  with  the  gluten  of  the  skin,  to  give  it,  in  some 
degree,  the  properties  of  leather.  The  idea  is 
probably  borrowed  from  their  intercourse  with  the 
frontier  settlers,  although  the  nearest  tan-yard  is 
at  St.  Louis,  eight  hundred  miles  below. 

Haifa  mile  east  of  Red  wing^s  village  there  is  an 
isolated  mountain,  standing  upon  the  brink  of  the 
river,  called  the  Grange,  from  the  summit  of  which 
you  enjoy  the  most  charming  prospect.     The  im- 
mense valley  of  the  Mississippi,  with  the  numerous 
channels  and  islands  of  the  river — the  prairies  and 
forests — ^with  the  windings  of  a  number  of  small 
rivers   which    flow   into    the    Mississippi,   spread 
like    a    map    below   the  eye.       The  calcareous 
bluffs    which    bound    this  valley,    and   terminate 
the  prospect  towards  the  west,  in  a  line  of  loHy 
grey  cliffs,  throw  an  air  of  grandeur  upon  the  sc^e, 
which  affords  a  pleasing  contrast  with  the  deep  green 
of  the  level  prairies,  and  the  silvery  brightness  of 
the  winding  river.       Turning  the  eye  towards  the 
east)  Lake  Pepin  spreads  its  ample  sheet  across  the 
entire  valley  of  the  river,  from  bluff  to  bluff,  and 
the  indentnres  of  its  shores  ri>cede  one  behind  an- 
other, until  they  become  too  faint  to  be  distinguish- 
ed, and  are  terminated  on  the  line  of  the  horizon. 
The  altitude  of  this  mountain  cannot 'fall  short  of 
eight  hundred  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  river.    It 
presents  an  abrupt  mural  precipice  towards  the  Mis- 
sissippi, but  slopes  off  gradually  towards  the  south, 
and  is  covered  with  grass,  and  a  few  scattering  oaks. 
Its  sides  are  strewed  with  beautiful  crystals  of  vio- 
let   coloured,    and    radiated     quartz,    and   with 
masecB  of  iron  ore  crystallized  in  cubes  and  octa- 


32a 

bedrons.  A  specimen  of  lead  ore  (galena)  was  also 
shewn  to  us  by  one  of  Talangamane's  people,  and 
a  mine  is  reported  to  exist  in  the  vicinity,  but  we 
could  procure  no  information  which  is  to  be  relied 
upon,  concerning  its  situation  and  extent. 

In  ascending  this  mountain  we  first  noticed  the 
rattlesnake,  (croialus  horridus)  which  is  found,  how- 
ever, as  far  north  as  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  (north 
latitude  46^)    One  of  the  most  remarkable  facts  in 
the  natural  history  of  this  dreadful  animal,  is,  that 
its  poison  may  be  taken  internally  without  any  dan- 
ger.   A  spoonful,  it  is  afiirmed,  may  be  swallowed 
at  a  time,  without  producing  any  ill  effects  upon 
the  constitution.    This,  is  the  characteristic  differ- 
ence between  animal  and  vegetable  poisons.    It  is 
wfell  known  that  the  virus  of  this  animal  is  secreted 
in  a  small  cavity  at.  the  root  of  the  fangs,  which  are 
shaped  like  the  claws  of  a  cat,  and  are  hollow,  and 
that  it  is  ejected  through  these  tubes  at  the  instant 
it  ipflicts  the  wound.    It  has  been  stated,  on  the 
authority  of  Mr.  Peale,  proprietor  of  the  Philadel- 
phia  museum,  that  an  animal  punctured  with  the 
fan^s  of  the  rattlesnake,  for  years  after  they  have 
been  taken  out  and  dried,  will  produce  almost  instant 
deAth,  and  that  he  employed  acids  and  alkalies  to 
deprive  them  of  this  poisonous  property,  without 
Bu^cesB,     The  poison  of  serpents  is  found  to  be 
mote  virulent,  and  toojierate  with  greater  activity,  in 
warm,  ftan  in  cold  climates,  nor  is  it  equally  fatal 
to  all  animals.    The  hog,  for  instance,  devours  the 
rattlesnake  without  danger,  and  is  even  said  to 
thrive  and  fatten  upon  it     Charlevoix  mentions  a 
plant,  which  is  an  antidote  to   the   bite    of  this 
snake,  ealled  the  rattle  snake  j^Uni  (herbe  a  stijwite 


it" 


a  sonettes)  which  grows  abundantly  tlirougliout  this 
country,      "This  plant,"  he  remarks,  "  is  beautiful 
and  easily  known.    Its  stem  is  round  and  somewhat 
thicker  than  a  goose-quill,  rising  to  the  height  of 
three  or  four  feet,  and  terminates  in  a  yellow  flowei- 
oi*  the  figure  and  size  of  a  yellow  daisey.    This 
flower  has  a  very  sweet  scent.     The  leaves  of  the 
plant  are  oval,  narrow,  sustained,  five  and  five,  in 
form  of  a  turkey  cock's  foot,  by  a  peduncle  or  foot 
stalk  an  inch  long.?'     In  another  place,  speakjng  pf 
the  citron,  he  remarks  «  The  root  of  this  tree  is  a 
mortal  and  most  subtil   poison,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  most  sovereign  antidote  against  the  bite  ^f 
serpents.    It  must  be  bruised  and  applied  instantly 
on  the  wound :  this  remedy  is  immediate  and  infalli- 
ble."   The  plant  alluded  to  in  both  instances,  ap- 
pears to  be  the  common  mandrake,  orpodophylluin 
peltatum  of  modern  botany.     The  poisonous  pro- 
perties of  ihis  plant  are  mentioned  by  another  of 
the  elder  travellers  of  the  region,  whose  work  has 
long  sine .;  ceased  to  be  quoted,  the  Baron  La  Hon- 
tan,  who  says  that  the  expressed  juice  of  fhis  plant 
taken  internally,  produces  instant  death;    and  re- 
lates an  instance  of  an  Iroquois  woman,  making  use 
of  it  on  the  disease  of  her  husband.     She  soop  fell 
into  shivering  fits,  and  expired  in  his  presence. 

in  our  times  the  common  plantain  {phntago  ma- 
Jor)  has  been  frequently  mentioned  as  an  infallible 
cure,  both  for  tie  bite  of  the  rattlesnake,  and  the 
tarantula,  or  great  black  field  spider ;  but  I  cannot 
allude  tp  any  particular  cases  in  which  it  has  been 
successfully  applied.  There  is  aq  old  story,  wliicli 
relates  that  the  curative  qualities  of  the  plantain,  in 
cases  of  animal  poison,  was  first  discovered  in  th^ 


af27 

i<>ll6iving  manner :    An  aged  black  tnan  in  onfe  of  the 
southern  states,  being  out  in  the  field,  happened  to 
witness  a  combat  between  the  tarantula  and  h  toad ; 
the  latter  appeared  frequently  to  be  vanquished,  but 
as  often  retreated  to  a  stem  of  plantain,  growing 
near,  and  eating  some  of  the  leaves,  returned  to 
the  combat.     Observing  this,  the  plantain  was  pul^ 
led  up,  when  the  toad  on  returning,  and  finding  it 
taken  away,  immediately  swelled  up  and  died.  This 
gave  the  hint  for  applying  it  in  cases  of  the  bite  of 
venomous  snakes,  and  the  discoverer  alluded  to,  ac- 
quired celebrity  for  the  cures  he  effected  by  the  use 
of  it.     Whether  the  Virginia  snake-root,  {aristolochia 
serpentaria)  is  applied   as  an  antidote  to  the  poison 
of  serpents,  I  am  unable  to  say.     Ergotted  rye,  is 
also  among  the  number  of  simples,  which  have  been 
lately  recommended  in  cases  of  the  bite  of  the  rat- 
tlesnake. 

At  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  entered  Lake 
Pepin.  This  beautiful  sheet  of  water  is  an  expan- 
sion of  the  Mississippi  river,  six  miles  below  the 
Sioux  village  of  Talangamane,  and  one  hundred  be- 
low the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.  It  is  twenty-four  miles 
in  length,  with  a  width  of  from  two  to  four  miles,  and 
is  indented  with  several  bays,  and  prominent  points, 
which  serve  to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the  prospect. 
On  the  east  shore,  there  is  a  lofty  range  of  limestone 
bluffs,  which  are  much  broken  and  crumbled— some- 
times run  into  pyramidal  peaks— and  often  present 
a  character  of  the  utmost  sublimity.  On  the  west, 
there  is  a  high  level  prairie,  covered  with  the  most 
luxuriant  growth  of  grass,  and  nearly  destitute  of 
forest  trees.  From  this  plain  several  conical  hills 
ascend,  which,  at  a  distance,  present  the  appear- 


- 


■^:.l^'-'S>4''.V..;i->i 


328 


ancc  of  vast  artificial  mounds  or  pyramids,  and  it  ii 
difficult  to  reconcile  their  appearance  with  the  gen- 
eral  order  of  nature,  by  any  other  hypothesis.    This 
lake  is  beautifully  circumscribed  by  a  broad  beach 
of  clean  washed  gravel,  which  often  extends  from  the 
foot  of  the  surrounding  highlands,  three  or  four  hun- 
dred yards  into  the  lake,  forming  gravelly  points 
upon  which  there  is  a  delightful  walk,  and  scalloping 
jut  the  margin  of  the  lake,  with  the  most  pleasing 
irregularity.    In  walking  along  these,  the  eye  is  at- 
tracted by  the  various  colours  of  the  mineral  gems, 
which  are  promiscuously  scattered  among  the  wa- 
ter-worn debris  of  granitic,  and  other  rocks,  and  the 
camelian,  agate,  and  chalcedony,  are  met  with  at 
every  step.    The  size  of  these  gems  is  often  as  large 
as  the  egg  of  the  partridge,  and  the  transparency, 
and  beauty  of  colour,  is  only  excelled  by  the  choi- 
cest oriental  specimens.     There  is  no  perceptible 
current  in  the  lake,  during  calm  weather,  and  the 
water  partakes  so  little  of  the  turbid  chara -ter  of 
the  lower  Mississippi,  that  objects  can  be  distinctly 
seen  through  it,  at  the  depth  of  eight  or  ten  feet- 
It  is  plentifully  stored   with  a  variety  of  Ssb,  the 
most  remarkable  of  which  is  the  shovel-nosed  stur- 
geon,   which    is    so  called  from   a    protuberance 
which  extends  from  ihe  end  of  the  nose  about  four- 
teen inchea-is  four  in  width,  and  quite  thin,  in 
which  respect,  as  well  as  in  the  shape  of  this  pro- 
cess, it  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  a  physi- 
cian's «paft«/a.    In  other  respects  its  size  and  gene- 
ral appearance  corresponds  with  the  small  c«turgeon 
of  lakes  Huron  and  Superior.     This  extension  of 
the  nose,  appeals  designed  to  enable  the  animal  to 
agitate  the  mud  along  the  shores,  and  on  the  hot- 


■••.■(**■«»*«•»>»  If' )^^ 


329 


torn  of  the  Mississippi,  in  quest  of  certain  animalcu. 
la,  which  are  supposed  to  be  its  favourite  food.  The 
shores  of  this  lake,  also,  appear  tavourable  to  the 
growth  of  crustaceous  fish,  and  an  examination  of 
the  different  varieties  which  are  presented,  would 
probably  result  in  the  discovery  of  one  or  two  new. 
species.  In  no  place  have  I  ever  noticed  the  fresh 
water  muscle,  attain  so  large  a  size.  One  of  these, 
which  I  procured,  measures  seven  inches  in  length, 
by  five  and  a  half  in  width,  and  the  thickness,  tak- 
en at  right  angles  with  the  most  convex  part  of  the 
shell,  is  a  little  less  than  four  inches. 

Lake  Pepin  receives  two  of  the  tributary  streams 
of  the  Mississippi,  called  the  river  au  Canoe,  and 
Porcupinc-quill  river.  The  former  has,  by  a  gene- 
ral  mistake,  (which  I  did  not  myself  detect  until  my 
map  was  engraved)  been  called  Cannon  river; 
and  I  have  elsewhere  spoken  of  it,  under  the  name 
of  Ocano,  being  the  popular  pronunciation  of  the 
French  term.  It  flows  into  Lake  Pepin  from  the 
west,  near  its  head;  and  is  one  of  the  principal 
hunting  grounds  of  the  Red  wing's  band.  Porcu- 
pine-quill  river,  enters  in  a  large  bend  on  the  east 
shore,  about  midway  of  the  length  of  the  lake,  and 
IS  noted  as  the  ancient  site  of  a  French  fort  and 
trading  factory.  We  did  not  stop  to  examine  the 
remains  of  this  establishment,  which  it  is  said,  are 
fltiil  visible. 

In  passing  through  Lake  Pepin,  our  interpreter 
pointed  out  to  us  a  high  precipice,  on  the  east  shore 
of  the  lake,  fi^om  which  an  Indian  girl,  of  the  Sioux 
nation,  had  many  years  ago,  precipitated  herself  in 
a  fit  of  disappointed  love.    She  had  given  her  heart, 

42 


330 


1^1 


it  appeftrw,  to  a  young  chief  of  hor  oVfti  trlb«,  who 
was  very  much  attached  to  her,  but  the  alliance 
was  opposed  by  her  parents,  who  wished  her  to 
tiiarry  an  ohl  chief,  renowned  for  his  wisdom  and 
his  influence  in  the  nation.  As  the  union  was  in- 
■isted  upon,  and  no  other  way  appearing  to  avoid  it, 
she  determined  to  sacriHce  her  life  in  preference  to 
a  violation  of  a  former  vow,  an-  while  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  marriage  feast  were  going  forward,  left 
her  father's  cabin,  without  exciting  suspicion,  and 
before  she  could  be  overtaken,  threw  herself  from 
an  awful  precipice,  and  was  instantly  dashed  to  a 
thousand  pieces.  Such  an  instance  of  sentiment  is 
rarely  to  be  met  with  among  barbarians,  and  should 
redeem  the  name  of  this  noble-minded  girl  from  ob- 
livion.    It  was  Oola-Ita.  {Oo-la-i-ta  ) 

Having  descended  the  river  sixty-seven  miles,  we 
encamped  on  a  gravelly  beach  on  the  east  shore  of 
Lake  Pepin,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  wea- 
ther threatening  a  storm.  In  the  vicinity  of  our 
encampment,  we  observed  the  asparagus  growing 
along  the  shore.  The  seeds  had  probably  been  drop- 
ped by  some  former  traveller.  At  eight  o'clock,  it 
commenced  raining,  and  continued,  at  short  inter- 
vals, during  a  great  part  of  the  night,  attended  with 
severe  thunder,  and  the  most  vivid  flashes  of  light- 
ning. 

LXXIII.  Day. — {August  ith.) — We  proceeded  on 
our  descent  at  tive  o'clock.  The  rain  had  ceased 
before  day  light,  but  the  morning  remained  cloudy. 
The  lake  is  two  miles  and  a  half  wide,  opposite  the 
spot  of  our  encampment,  but  narrows  gradually  to- 
wards its  outlet,  whidi  is  ten  miles  below.    The 


331 

scenery  during  this  di nance  iu  highly  picturesque 
and  beautiful.     The  precipices  on  the  east  are  high, 
and  shoot  up  into  spiral  points,  yet  are  covered  par- 
tially with  grass  and  shrubbery.    On  the  west  we 
observe  nothing  but  an  elevated  level  prairie.     The 
contrast  produces  the  finest  effect.    At  the  precise 
point  of  exit  of  the   Mississippi  river,  from  Lake 
Pepin,  the  Chippeway,  or  Sautcaux  river,  comes  in 
from  the  east.     It  is  half  a  mile  wide  at  its  mouth, 
and  its  sources  are  connected  with  the  Montreal 
river  of  Lake  Superior.     Below  the  junction  of  this 
stream,  the  Mississippi  has  an  increased  width,  and 
contains  a  great  number  of  small  willow  and  cotton- 
wood  islands,  and  the  navigation  is  rendered  more 
difficult,  on  account  of  the  innumerable  sand  bars 
which  here  first  make  their  appearance.    They  are 
attributable,    in  a  great  measure,  to  the  immense 
quantity  of  sand  brought  down  by  the  Chippeway 
river, 

A  few  miles  below  Lake  Pepin  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  are  the  remains  of  one  of  the 
most  interesting  and  extensive  of  those  ancient  cir- 
cumvallations,  which  are  so  frequently  found  through- 
out the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  its  confluent 
streams,  and  whose  origin,  notwithstanding  the  lapse 
of  half  a  century  since  they  first  began  to  attract 
the  notice  of  philosophic  enquirers,  still  remains 
veiled  in  the  impenetrable  mist  of  obscurity.     The 
work  in  question  was  in  fact  one  of  the  earliest  that 
excited  notice,  but  the  hints  which  were  thrown  out 
by  Carver  in  1768,  with  respect  to  this  work,  ap- 
pear to  have  escaped  the  attention  of  succeeding 
travellers  and  enquirers,  and  as  yet  no  plan  of  it, 
has  been  taken.    As  our  opportunities  did  not  allo^ 


332 

us  to  supply  this  deficiency,  by  adtual  observation, 
I  shall  here  present  the  remarks  of  the  enterprising 
traveller  alluded  to,  in  order  to  excite  the  attention 
of  those  who  may  hereafter  visit  the  region. 

"One  day  having  landed  on'the  shore  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, some  miles  below  Lake  Pepin,  whilst  my 
attendants  were  preparing  my  dinner,  I  walked  out 
to  take  a  view  of  the  adjacent  coutitry.    I  had  not 
proceeded  far  before  I  came  to  a  fine,  level,  open 
plain,  on  which  I  perceived,  at  a  little  distance,  a 
partial  elevation  that  had  the  appears^nce  of  an  in- 
trenchment    On  a  nearer  inspection,  1  had  greater 
reason  to  suppose  that  it  had  really  been  intended 
for  this  many  centuries  ago.    Notwithstanding  it  was 
now  covered  with  grass,  I  could  plainly  discern  that 
it  had  once  b?en  a  breast-work  of  about  four  feet  in 
height,  extending  the  beat  part  of  a  mile,  and  suffi- 
ciently capacious  to  cover  five  thousand  men.    Us 
form  was  somewhat  circular,  and  its  flanks  reached 
to  the  river.    Though  much  defaced  by  time,  every 
angle  was  still  distinguishable,  and  appeared  as  re- 
gular, and  fashioned  with  as  much  military  skill,  as 
if  planned  by  Vauban  himself.    The  ditch  was  not 
visible,  but  I  thought  on  examining  more  curiously, 
that  I  could  perceive  there  certainly  had  been  one! 
From  its  situation  also,  I  am  convinced  that  it  must 
have  been  designed  for  this  purpose.    It  fronted  the 
country  (the  west)  and  the  rear  was  covered  by  the 
river ;  nor  was  there  any  rising  ground  for  a  consid- 
erable distance  that  commanded  it  j  a  lew  straggling 
oaks  were  alone  to  be  seen  war  it    In  many  places 
email  tracks  (paths)  were  worn  across  it  by  iim  ieet 
of  the  elks  and  deer,  and  from  the  depth  of  the  bed 
of  the  earth  by  which  it  waftcowred,  I  was  able  to 


333  ^ 

«Jraweertaiii  conclusions  of  its  great  antiquity.    I 
exatnined  aU  the  angles  and  every  part  with  great 
attention,  and  have  often  blamed  myself  since,  for 
not  encamping  on  the  spot,  and  drawing  an  exact 
plan  of  it.    To  shew  that  this  description  is  not  the 
ofl&pring  of  a  heated  imagination,  or  the  chimerical 
tale  of  a  mistaken  traveller.  I  find,  on  enquiry  since 
my  return,  that  Monsieur  St.  Pierre  and  several  oth- 
er  traders  have,  at  different  times,  taken  notice  of 
similar  appearances,  on  which  they  have  formed  the 
same  conjectures,  but  without  examining  them  so 
minutely  as  I  did.    How  a  work  of  this  kind  could 
exist  in  a  country  that  bra  hitherto  (according  to  the 
generally  received  opinion)  been  the  seat  ot  war  to 
untutored  Indians  alone,  whose  whole  stock  of  mili- 
tary knowledge  has  only,  till  within  two  centuries, 
amounted  to  drawing  the  bow,  and  whose  only  breast- 
jrork  even  at  present,  is  the  thicket,  I  know  not 
I  have  given  as  exact  an  account  as  possible  of  this 
lingular  appearance,  and  leave  to  future  explorers 
of  these  distant  regions,  to  discover  whether  it  is  a 
production  of  nature  or  art.      Perhaps  the  hints  I 
have  here  given  might  lead  to  a  more  perfect  investi- 
gation  of  it,  and  give  us  very  different  ideas  of  the 
ancient  state  of  realms  that  we  at  present  believe  to 
have  been  from  the  eariiest  period  only  the  h^bita- 
lioris  of  savages."* 

This  is  the  first  notice,  to  the  best  of  my  recollec- 
tion,  ever  taken  by  a  transatlantic  writer  of  those  an- 
toque  works,  which  are  now  daily  discovered,  in 
wery  part  of  the  western  country,  and  after  all  that 
haft  be«n  poured  oul  upon  this  subject,  the  conclud- 

•  Carver's  Trtvela,  p.  so. 


il 


334 

ing  observation  of  Carver,  macle  in  the  American 
wilderness  sixty  years  ago,  embraces  half  the  sum 
of  our  knowledge  upon  the  subject  at  the  present 
day.  The  fact  of  the  existence  of  a  very  extensive 
work  at  the  place  above  mentioned,  is  corroborated 
by  a  conversation  I  have  had  on  that  subject  with 
Mr.  Harman  V.  Hart,  of  the  city  of  Albany,  who  has 
spent  five  years  as  a  trader  in  the  Sioux  countries, 
and  frequently  visited  the  works  in  question,  as  well 
as  those  upon  the  river  St.  Peter's,  which  are  noti- 
ced in  another  part  of  this  journal. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  made  a  short 
halt  at  the  Sioux  village  of  Wabashaw,  which  is  eli- 
gibly situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi, 
sixty  miles  below  Lake  Pepin.  It  consists  of  four 
large  lodges,  with  a  population  of,  probably,  sixty 
souls.  A  present  of  tobacco  and  whiskey  was  given, 
and  we  again  embarked  at  twenty  minutes  before 
five  o'clock. 

A  few  miles  below  Wabashaw's  village,  an  isolat- 
ed mountain,  of  singular  appearance,  rises  out  of  the 
centre  of  the  river,  to  a  height  of  four  or  five  hun- 
dred feet,  where  it  terminates  in  crumbling  peaks  of 
naked  rock,  whose  lines  of  stratification  and  massy 
walls,    impress  forcibly    upon  the  mind  the   im- 
age of  some  gigantic  battlement  of  former  genera- 
tions.   Around  its  lower  extremity,  the  alluvion  of 
the   river  has    collected,  forming  a  large  island, 
covered  with  a  heavy  forest,  whose  deep  green 
foliage  forms  a  pleasing  contrast  with  the  barren 
grandeur  of  the  impending  rocks,  which  project  their 
gothic  pinnacles  into  the  clouds,  and  cast  a  sombre 
shadow  over  the  broad  and  glittering  bosom  of  the 
Mississippi.      This  singular  feature  in  the  topa-* 


33d 

^r^phjr  of  the  c6untrj,  has  long  attracted  the  admi- 
ration^  and  the  wonder,  of  the  voyageure  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, who  have  bestowed  upon  it  the  appellation 
of  The  Mountain  thatfeinks  in  the  Water,  {LaMon- 
taigns  qui  Trompe  dans  VEau,)  an  opinion  being  pre- 
valent among  them,  that  it  annually  sinks  a  few  feet. 
This  island-mountain  is  four  or  dve  miles  in  circum- 
ference, with  a  mean  width  of  half  a  mile,  and  by 
dividing  the  channel  of  the  river  into  two  equal 
halves,  gives  an  immense  width  to  the  river,  and 
thus  increases  the  grandeur  of  the  prospect    It  is 
further  remarkable  as  being  the  only  fast,  or  rocky 
island,  in  the  whole  course  of  this  river,  from  the 
Falls  of  Peckagama,  to  the  Mexican  Gulf.    The 
west  channel  of  the  Mississippi,  opposite  this  moun- 
tam,  receives  a  small  tributary,  called  The  River  of 
the  Mountain  that  Sinks  in  the  Water,  and  the  east 
channel,  another  of  similar  size*  called  Buffalo  river, 
(La  riviere  au  Bceuf.)    Both  may  be  considered  in 
the  fourth  class,  as  respects  size  and  importance,  of 
the  tributaries  of  the  Mississippi.     About  five  miles 
below  the  Sinking  Mountain,  we  encamped  on  the 
west  shore  of  the  river,  at  seven  in  the  evening,  hav- 
ing been  twelve  hours  upon  the  river,  and  descend- 
ed the  current  seventy  miles,    immediately  in  the 
rear  of  our  camp,  there  was  a  lofty  range  of  river 
bluffs.   I  hastened  to  take  a  glimpse  of  their  geolo- 
gical   character  before  the  daylight  disappeared, 
and  OQ  gaining  the  summit,  had  a  commanding  view 
of  the  extensive  tract  of  bottom  land  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  river,  which  consists,  in  part,  of  a 
heavy  wooded  forest,  interspersed  with  patches  of 
prairie,  and  bounded  at  the  distance  of  four  or  ffve 
miles,  by  a  range  of  calcareous  bluffs,  correspond- 


336 


ing,  iu  general  appearance,  to  tiiat  upon  which  I 
stood.  The  scene  h  checquered  by  the  devious 
course  of  Black  River,  which  joins  the  Mississippi 
in  front,— by  the  mountain  that  sinks  in  the  water 
above,  and  the  broad  Mississippi,  with  its  numerous 
islands  and  channels,  at  a  depression  of  four  or  five 
hundred  feet  below.  Turning  the  eye  towards  the 
west,  the  country  has  the  general  elevation  of  the 
river  blufifs.  It  is  wooded  with  oak— with  tracts 
of  prairie— and  lies  in  ridges,  some  of  which  are 
entirely  covered  with  grass,  and  destitute  of  forest 
trees.  At  the  rapids  of  Black  River,  one  day's 
journey  in  a  canoe  from  its  mouth,  there  is  a  saw- 
mill  recently  erected,  by  a  gentleman  at  Prairie  du 
Chien,  where  boards  and  scantling  are  already  saw- 
ed for  the  purposes  of  building  at  the  latter  place. 
Ihusis  the  empire  of  the  arts,  and  the  march  of  Eu- 
ropean population,  gradually  extending  into  regions 
which  have,  heretofore,  only  resounded  to  the  savage 
war  whoop,  or  if  they  have  ever  before  witnessed  a 
civilized  population,  (as  our  tu.nuli,  -and  antiquities 
would  lead  us  to  infer,)  the  light  of  history,  and  the 
voice  of  tradition,  cast  not  a  solitary  beam  to  illu- 
mine our  researches,  or  direct  us  in  elucidating  the 
mysterious  hfstory  of  the  aboriginal  tribes,  and  the 
ancient  state  of  society,  arts,  and  religion,  upon  our 
continent. 

A  short  time  previous  to  our  encampment,  we  ob- 
served a  large  grey  wolf  in  the  river  before  us,  mak- 
ing its  way  for  the  opposite  bank.  In  a  moment  ev- 
ery canoe  was  pointed  towards  it, — every  muscle 
was  strained  to  intercept  ite  landing ;  and  we  shot 
down  the  stream  with  the  rapidity  of  an  eagle  who 
pounces  upon  his  prey.    The  whooping  of  the  In- 


337 

dians)— the  shots  that  were  fired,— and  the  tumult  of 
•o  matij  paddles  dashing  in  the  water,  gave  great 
spirit  to  this  scene,  but  it  was  onlj  of  momen- 
tarjr  duration,  as  the  wolf  soon  gained  the  sandy 
•here  of  the  river,  and  shaking  the  water  from  his 
meagre  flanks,  sprang  into  an  adjoining  thicket,  and 
in  a  moment  disappeared. 

.  LXXIV.  DKY.-^(jiugust  5/A.)-lt  is  ninety  miles 
fijom  the  spot  of  our  encampment  to  Prairie  da  Chien. 
we  embarked  a  tew  moments  after  three  in  the 
morning,  and  reached  the  Prairie,  at  six  in  the  af- 
ternoon.  As  we  descend,  the  Mississippi  has  a  gra^ 
dual  increase  of  size,  and  its  valley  a  corresponding 
width.— The  calcareous  bluffs  continue  on  either 
•here.  In  the  course  of  this  day,  the  river  has  been 
swelled  by  the  rivers  Embarras,  La  Claire,  and  Ba- 
daxe,  the  two  former  uniting  at  the  point  of  their  en- 
trance into  the  Mississippi. 

*.  The  village  of  Prairie  du  Chien  is  pleasantly  situ- 
ated on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  on  the  verge  of 
one  of  those  beautiful  and  extensive  natural  mead- 
ows, which  characterize  the  valley  of  the  Mississip. 
pi.  It  consists  of  about  eighty  buildings,  including 
the  garrison,  the  principal  part  of  which  are  of  logs, 
arranged  in  two  streets  parallel  with  the  river, 
and  IS  estimated  to  have  an  aggregate  population  of 
five  hundred.  This,  is  exclusive  of  the  garrison,  now 
consisting  of  a  company  of  infantry,  ninety-six  strong, 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  Fowle. 

The  village  of  Prairie  du  Chien  takes  its  name 
from  a  family  of  Fox  Indians  w  o  formerly  resided 
there,  and  were  distinguished  by  the  appellation  of 
Oogs.     The  present  settlement  was  first  begun  Iq 

43 


» 


338 


J783,byMr.Giar(I,  Mr.  Antaya,  and  Mr.  Dubaqii«. 
There  bad  formerly  been  an  old  settlement  about « 
mile  below  the  site  of  the  present  village,  which  ei^ 
isted  during  the  time  that  the  French  held  possession 
of  theCanadas,  but  it  was  abandoned,  chiefly  on  ae^ 
count  of  its  unhealthy  situation,  being  near  the  boru 
ders  of  an  extensive  tract  of  overflowed  groandf. 
The  early  settlers,  according  to  the  principles  adopt- 
ed by  the  French  colonist*  in  the  Canadas,  intermar- 
ried with  Indian  women,  and  the  present  population 
is  the  result  of  this  connexion.  'In  it,  we  behold  the 
only  instance  which  our  country  presents,  of  the 
compiete  and  permanent  civilization  of  the  aborig!> 
nei  ;  and  it  may  be  doubted,  after  all  that  has  been 
0aid  upc\^  ?he  subject,  whether  this  race  can  ever  be 
recliiim€>d  from  ihe  savage  state,  by  any  other  meth- 
od. The  result,  in  the  present  instance,  is  such  as  to 
equal  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  the  t>failaii4 
thropist,  in  regard  to  a  mixed  species.  They  are  saUl 
lo  exhibit  evidences  of  enterprise,  industry,  and  a 
regard  to  order  and  the  laws,  at  the  same  time,  thkt 
we  perceive  the  natural  taciturnity  of  the  savage, 
happily  counterpoised  by  the  vivacity  and  suavity 
of  the  French  character,  producing  manners  which 
are  sprightly  without  frivolity,  and  serious  without 
becoming  morose. 

Prairie  Du  Chien  is  the  seat  of  justice  for  Craw- 
ford  county,  which  has  recently  been  erected  in 
this  part  of  the  Michigan  Territory,*  and  a  court  of 

•  The  Norlbwestern  Territory  does  not  at  present  eiiit  In  taw. 
On  the  aduiiMion  of  the  slate  of  Illinois  into  the  Union,  the  rC 
gions  northwest  of  it,  and  east  of  the  Mississippi  rives,  extending 
to  iu  source,  were  incorporated  with  the  government  of  Michi- 
gan. 


339 

juftice  has  already  been  established.  There  is  al- 
io a  company  of  militia  formed  out  of  the  Gallico- 
savage  population,  who  perform  the  usual  services 
with  promptitude.  There  is  a  school,  however, 
wanting,  for  the  rising  generation,  and  a  suitable 
opening  appears  to  be  presented  for  a  person  whq 
could  unite  the  characters  of  a  moral  and  religious 
instructor. 

The  fortification  at  this  place  consists  of  four  lines 
of  log  barracks  facing  a  square  parade  ground,  and 
defended  by  bastions  at  the  nort^^west  Hnd  south- 
east angles.    The  logs  are  squared  and  whitewash- 
ed, and  the  works  occupy  a  considerable  extent  of 
ground,  and  have  a  very  neat,  and  imposing  appefir- 
•nce.     There  is  a  large  and  fertile  island  in  the 
Mississippi,  opposite  the  village,  and  a  high  calcar^ 
,cw  bluff  on  the  opposite  bank.— -The  Ousconsing 
Joins  the  Mississippi  one  league  below.— -There  is  a 
fiBayou,  or  marsh,  at  the  point  of  conEuence,  which 
.extends  into  the  prairie  to  within  a  mile  oi  the  vil- 
lage, and  is  thought  to  render  it  unhealthy  at  partic- 
ular seasons.     The  lead  mines  are  siluated  on  the 
;  west  bank  of  the  river  twenty-five  leagues  below. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
VISIT, 


to  THE  LE.tf>  MIJVES  OF  DUBUQUE,  OJ^TUE  tTPPEtt 
MISSISSIPPI. 


tW-« 


LXXV.  DAy.-^^^ugust  6lh.) 

As  a  delay  of  several  days  was  anticipated  kt 
Prairie  du  Chien,  1  solicited  Governor  Cass  for  per- 
mission to  employ  the  time  in  visiting  the  lead  mines 
T>f  the  upper  Mississippi,  which  had  acquired  some 
celebrity  from  their  reputed  extent,  and  (he  novel 
circumstance  of  their  being  worked  by  the  Indian 
tribes.    I  left  the  prairie  at  half  past  eleven  in  the 
morning,  in  a  canoe  manned  by  eight  voyageurs,  in- 
cluding a  guide.    Three  miles  below,  we  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  Ousconsing,  which  is  a  large  and  ma- 
jestic stream,  and  communicates  by  a  short  portage 
with  the  Fox  river  of  Green  Bay^a  route    vhich 
we  are  to  pursue  on  our  return  to  Detroit.    Nine 
leagues  below  the  Ousconsing,  Turkey  river  enters 
the  Mississippi  on  the  west  bank,  by  a  mouth  of 
sixty  yards  in  width.     This  stream  is  one  of  the 
principal  hunting  grounds  of  the  Fox  Indians,  and 
communicates,  by  its  main  northwestern  fork,  with 
the  Terre  Bleu  of  St  Peter's.    There  is  a  Fox  vil- 
lage (now  deserted)  of  twelve  lodges,  a  mile  below, 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi.     Here  I  en- 
camped at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  having  de- 


341 

icended  the  river  thirty-one  miles  against  a  strong 
head  wind.     1  found  the  lodges  to  be  large,  and 
built  of  logs,  in  the  same  substantial  manner  prac- 
tised among  the  Narcotah  bands.     The  cause  of 
their  being  now  deserted,  is  the  fear  entertained  of 
an  attack  from  the  Sioux,  in  retaliation  for  the  mas- 
sacre lately  perpetrated  upon  the  banks  of  the  St. 
Peter's.    I'he  desertion  appears  to  have  taken  place 
after  they  had  planted  their  corn,  and  from  the  or- 
der in  which  the  village  is  left,  it  may  be  concluded 
that  its  re-occupation  is  kept  in  view.     I  found  sev- 
eral small  gardens  and  corn  fields  adjoining  the  vil- 
lage, in  which  gquashes,  beans,  and  pumpkins  were 
abundant,  but  the  corn  had  been  nearly  all  destroy- 
cd,  probably  by  wild  animals.     Walking  back  from 
the  river  half  a  mile,  to  examine  the  geological  char- 
acter of  an  adjoining  bluff,  I  was  surprised  to  find 
an  extensive  field  of  water  and  musk-melons,  situa^ 
ted  in  the  midst  of  a  grove  of  small,  scattering  trees, 
but  without  any  inclosure.     Some  of  the  fruit  had 
been  destroyed  by  animals,  but  a  great  abundance 
still  remained,    although   I   found   none    perfect- 
ly ripe.      This  must  have  been  owing  to  the  sha- 
ded  situation  of  the  vines,  and  not  to  a  defect  of  cli- 
mate, as  we  found  the  water-melon  in  full  maturity 
at  Prairie  du  Chien,  which  is  thirty  miles  north. 

LXXVI.  DKY.—{jiugust  7/A.)— We  had  frequent 
peals  of  thunder  during  the  night,  and  the  atmos- 
phere threatened  a  rain-storm,  as  daylight  approach- 
ed. I  embarked  at  half  past  three  in  the  morning. 
It  commenced  raining  in  twenty  minutes  afterwards, 
and  continued  incessantly  until  my  arrival  at  the 
Fox  village  of  the  Kettle  chief,  where  1  landed  at 


342 
-tton  o*dock»  haring  descended  the  river  forty-five 

The  Krttir  4}vp9  vihage  ii^  situated  on  the  west 
bade  of     «  r?^,c,  and  consists  of  nineteen  lodges, 
buHt  ici  iviru  iO«v8^->-prettj  compact— w-th  a  popula- 
tioQ  id  two  hundred  and  fifty  souls.    lU  the  Missis- 
aippi  river,  directly  opposite  this  viliage,  there  is  a 
large  island,  where  a  number  of  traders  are  con- 
stantly stationed  for  t^  >  puipoae  of  supplying  the  In- 
dians with  merchandize,  and  purchasing  their  lead. 
Concluding  I  should  there  find  an  interpreter  of  the 
Foi  language,  I  first  landed  upon  the  idand,  and 
met  with  the  most  friendly  reception  firom  the  tra- 
ders, who  readily  communiciiied  to  me  the  informa- 
tion I  sought,  respecting  the  location,  numb^,  and 
value  of  the  mines,  and  the  method  of  working 
them,  together  with  specimens  of  the  ores,  and  ac- 
companying muierals.    The  rain  ceased  an  hour  af- 
ier  my  arrival,  whenl  proceeded  across  an  arm  of 
the  Aliisissippi  to  the  Kettle  chief's  village,  to  soli- 
cit his  permission,  and  procure  Ir.di&n  guides,  to 
explore  the  mines  which  are  situated  in  the  interior. 
1  was  accompanied  on  this  visit  by  Mr.  Gates,  as  in- 
terpreter, and  by  Dr.  S.  Muir,  a  trader  of  the  isl- 
^d,  who  politely  ofiered  to  go  out  with  me.    On 
entering  the  Kettle  chiet's  lodge,  i  found  him  suf- 
fering under  a  severe  attack  of  bilious  fever.    As  I 
apjM^ached  htm,  he  sat  up  on  his  pallet,  being  una- 
ble to  stand,  and  bid  me  welcome,  but  soon  became 
exhausted  by  the  labour  of  conversation,  and  was 
obliged  4o  resume  his  former  position.    He  appear- 
ed to  be  a  man  of  eighty  years  <^  age— with  a  ven- 
erable look,  but  reduced  to  the  last  stage  of  phys- 
ical debility,  yet  retaining,  unimpaired,  his  faculties 


of  sight  and  hearing,  and  his  mental  powers;  and 
he  spoke  to  me  of  his  death  with  calm  resignation, 
and  as  a  thing  to  be  desired.  On  stating  the  object 
of  my  visit,  Bome  objections  were  made  bj  the 
chiefs  who  surrounded  him,  and  they  required  fur- 
tiler  time  to  consider  the  proposition.  In  the  mean 
time,  1  learned  from  another  source,  that  since  the 
death  of  Dubuque,  to  whom  they  had  formerly 
granted  the  privilege  of  working  the  mines,  they 
had  manifested  a  great  jealousy  of  the  whites-^were 
afraid  they  would  encroach  upon  their  rights— de- 
iiied  all  former  grants,  and  did  not  make  it  a  praCf 
tiee  even  to  allow  strangers  to  view  their  diggings, 
Ikj.  Apprehending  some  difficulties  of  this  kind,  I 
had  provided  myself  with  some  Indian  presents,  and 
concluding  this  to  be  the  true  cause  of  the  reluc- 
tance manifested,  directed  one  of  my  voyageurs  to 
bring  in  a  present  of  whiskey  and  tobacco;  and  in  a 
few  moments  afterwards  received  their  assent,  and 
two  guides  were  furnished  to  conduct  us  out  One 
«f  these,  was  a  soldier-chief  of  the  Fox  tribe,  called 
5f«a-doi»,  ortheyellingwolfj  the  other,  Wa-ba.tmfoh, 
«r  the  white  Fox  skin. 

The  district  of  country  generally  called  Du6uque*g 
Lead  minest  embraces  an  area  of  about  twenty-one 
square  leagues,  cotomencing  at  the  jnouth  f  the 
little  Maquanquitons  river,  sixty  miles  below  Prai- 
rie du  Chien,  and  extending  along  the  west  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  seven  leagues  in  front  by  three  in 
depth.  The  principal  mines  are  situated  upon  a. 
tract  of  one  square  league,  commencing  immediate- 
ly at  the  Fox  village  of  the  Kettle  chief,  and  ex- 
tending westward.  This  is  the  seat  of  the  mining 
ofierations  formerly  carried  on  by  Dubuque,  and  of 


I 


what  arc  called  the  Indian  diggings.    This  ore  Tonnfl 
w  the  common  suiphuret  of  lead,  with  a  broad  folia- 
ted  structure,  and  high  metallic  lustre.     It  occurs 
maesive,   and    disseminated,   in  a  reddish    loRm« 
resting  upon  lime  stone  rock,  and  sometimes  is  seen 
in  small  veins  pervading  the  rock,  but  it  has  been 
chiefly  explored  in  alluvial  soil.    It  generally  occurs 
in  beds  or  veins,  which  have  no  great  width,  and 
run  in  a  certain  direction  three  or  four  hundred 
yard8,--then    cease,  or  are  traced  into  some    ere- 
vice  in  the  rock,  having  the  appearance  of  a  regular 
vein.     At  this  stage  of  the  pursuit  most  of  the  dig- 
gings have  been  abandoned,  and  frequently,  with 
small  veins  of  ore  in  view.    No  matrix  is  found  with 
the  ore  which  is  dug  out  of  the  alluvial  soil,  but  it  is 
inveloped  by,  the  naked  earth,  and  the  lumps  of  ore 
are  incrusted  by  m  ochreous  earth.    Occasionally* 
however,  some  pieces  of  calcareous  spar,  are  thrown 
out  of  the  earth  in  digging  after  lead,  and  I  picked  up 
a  solitary  specimen  of  the  transparent  sulphat  of 
barytes,  but  these  substances  appear  to  be  very 
rare.    There  is  none  of  the  radiated   quartz,   or 
white  opake  heavy  spar,  which  is  so  common  at 
the  Missouri  mines.     The  calcareous  rock  upon 
which  this  alluvial  formation,  containing  lead,  ore, 
rests,  appears  to  be  referable  to  the  transition  class. 
I  have  not  ascertained  its  particular  extent  about 
the  mines.    The  same  formation  is  seen,  overlayed 
by  a  distinct  cli^itum  of  compact  lime  stone,,,  con- 
taining numerous  petrifactions,  at  several  places,  be- 
tween the  mines  and  Prairie  du  Chien.      The  lead 
pre  at  these  mines  is  now  exclusively  dug  by  the 
Fox  Indians,  and,  as  is  usual  among  savage  tribes, 
the  chief  labour.  de?olv<BS  upon  the  women.    The 


U5 

old  and  superannuated  men  al^o  partake  in  these  la- 
bours, but  the  warriors  and  young  men,  hold  them- 
aelve.  above  it.     They  employ   the  hoe,  shovel, 
pick-axc,  and  crow-bar,  in  talcing  up  the  ore.  These 
Uimgs  are  supplied   by  the  traders,  but  no  shafts 
are  sunk,  not  even  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  the 
windlass  and  bucket  are  unknown  among  them— 
They  run  drifts  into  the  hills  so  far  as  they  can  con- 
yeniently  go,  without  the  use  of  gun-powder,  and 
If  a  trench  caves  in,  it  is  abandoned.    They  always 
dig  down  at  such  an  angle  that  they  can  walk  in 
and  out  of  the  pits,  and  I  descended  into  one  of 
these,  which  had  probably  been  carried  down  forty 
feet.    All  this,  is  the  work  of  the  Indian  women  and 
old  men,  who  discover  a  degree  of  perseverance  and 
industry,  which  is  deserving  of  the  highest  commend- 
ation.   When  a  quantity  of  ore  has  been  got  out,  it 
18  carried  in  baskets,  by  the  women,  to  the  banks  of 
the  Mississippi,  and   there  ferried  over  in  canoes 
to  the  island,  where  it  is  purchased  by  the  traders 
at  the  rate  of  two  dollars  for  a  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds,  payable  in  goods  at  Indian  prices.    At  the 
profits  at  which  these  goods  are  usually  sold,  it  maj 
be  presumed  to  cost  the  traders  from  seventy.five 
cents  to  a  dollar,  cash  value,  per  hundred  weight. 
The  traders  smelt  the  ore  upon  the  island,  in  furna- 
ees  of  the  same  construction  used  at  the  lead  mines 
of  Missouri,  and  observe,  that  it  yields  the  same 
per  centum  of  metallic  lead.    Formerly,  the  Indians 
were  in  the  habit  of  smelting  their  ore  themselves, 
upon  log-heaps,  by  which  a  great  portion  was  con- 
verted into  what  are  called  iead-ashes,  and  thus  lost 
Now,  the  traders  induce  them  to  search  about  the 
•itep  of  those  ancient  fires,  and  carefully  collect  the 

44 


11 

11 

II 

1 

il 

346 


lead  ashes,  for  which  thej  receiive  a  dollar  -pet 
bushel,  delivered  at  the  island,  payable  in  merchan- 
dize. 

There  are  three  lead  mincB,  in  addition  to  those 
above  raenlioned,  situated  upon  the  upper  Missis- 
sippi* whieh  are  worked  by  the  Indian  tribes,  nwme- 
\y,  the  Sissinaway  mines, — mine  au  Fevre, — and  the 
mines  of  the  little  Maquanquitons. 

I.  Tfie  Sissinaway  Mines. — These  are  situated  fif- 
teen miles  below  the  Kettle  chief's  village,  on  the 
east  shore  of  the  Mississippi,  and  at  the  junction  of 
the  Sissinaway  river. 

II.  Mim  au  Fevre, — Situated  on  the  river  au  Fewre, 
which  enters  the  Mississippi  on  the  east  shore,  twen- 
ty-one miles  belo  w  Dubuvjwe's  mines.  The  lead  ore 
is  found  ten  miles  above  its  mouth.  At  this  place, 
there  is  a  considerable  quantity  of  sulphat  of  ba- 
rytes,  and  the  ore  is  often  found  crystalized  in  re- 
gular cubes,  octaliedrons,  &c. 

SII.  Mine  of  Maquanquilons. — This  is  a  abort  dis- 
tance up  the  little  Maquanquiton's  river,  which 
flows  into  the  Mississippi  fifteen  miles  above  Du- 
buque's mines.  It  has  been  the  least  explored  of 
^any. 

The  Fox,  or  Oulagami  Indians,  upon  whose  ter- 
ritories these  mines  are  situated,  are  settled  upon 
both  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  between  Prairie  du 
Chien  and  Rock  rivers,  and  vclaim  the  lands  thus  oc- 
cupied, and  extending  a  certain  distance  east  and 
west  of  the  river.  They  are  bounded  by  the  lands 
of  the  Sioux  of  the  Missouri,  oi\  the  west,— by  the 
Winnebagoes,  and  Pottawattamie^^,  on  the  east,  and 
by  the  Sacs  and  Kicfcupoos  on  the  south.  Their 
principal  village  is  thai  called  the  Kettle  Chiefs,  at 


347 


Dubuque^s  mines,  seventy-five  miles  below  Prairie 
du  Chien.  They  have  another  village  at  the  Rock 
river  rapids,  a  hundred  and  sixty  miles  below,  it 
consists  of  fourteen  lodges,  and  a  hundred  and  fif- 
ty souls.  On  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  near 
the  foot  of  Hock  island,  there  is  a  large  viHage  of 
Foxes  and  Sacs,  living  promiscuously  toi^ether. — It 
consists  of  sixty  lodges,  being  one  of  the  largest 
and  rfiost  populous  Indian  villages  on  the  continent 
They  have  also  a  small  village  at  the  mouth  of  Tur- 
key river,  thirty  miles  below  Prairie  du  Chien,  but 
it  is  at  present  temporarily  deserted.  These  villa- 
ges comprise  the  strength  oil  the  Fox  tribe,  which 
is  estimated  at  four  hundred  souls.  They  are  near- 
ly re'iated  to  the  Sacs,  from  w^iom  they  have  se- 
ceded within  the  last  century.  They  also  claim  re- 
lationship with  the  Chippeways.  Of  their  own  ori- 
gin they  know  very  little.  As  far  as  their  traditions 
extend,  ihey  came  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Kings- 
ton, in  Upper  Canada.  From  thence  they  were 
driven  into  the  vicinity  of  Michilimackin^ic,  and  af- 
terwards to  Green  Bay,  nnd  along  the  river  which 
falls  into  its  head,  and  bears  their  name.  At  Fox 
river,  they  suffered  a  signal  defeat,  fro.u  a  body  of 
combined  French  and  Indians,  at  a  place  since  calli* 
ed  La  BiUtie  de  mort^  or  the  Hill  of  the  dead ;  and 
were  driven  to  the  banks  of  the  Ousconsing,  from 
which  they  subsequently  emigrated,  to  the  country 
they  now  occupy.  They  speak  rhe  Algon- 
quin  langujige,  with  a  great  many  peculiarities,  and 
corruptions,  and  are  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  nu- 
merous bands  into  which  that  once  powerful  nation, 
has  been  scattered.  The  name  of  Reynards  or  Foxes, 
appears  first  to  have  been  bestowed  on  them,  du- 


348 

ring  their  sojournment  at  Green  Bay.  The  history 
of  their  migrations  and  wars,  shews  them  to  have 
been  a  restless  and  spirited  people — erratic  in  their 
dispositions,  having  a  great  contempt  for  agriculture, 
and  a  predominant  passion  for  war.  By  this  means, 
they  have  been  continually  changing — suffering — 
and  diminishing,  until  they  are  reduced  to  a  hundred 
fighting  men.  Still,  they  retain  their  ancient  char- 
acter, and  are  constantly  embroiled  in  wars  and 
disputes  with  their  neighbours,  the  results  of  which 
shew,  that  they  have  more  courage  in  battle,  than 
wisdom  in  council.  In  their  dealings  with  the  tra- 
ders, they  are  cunning  and  deceitful.  In  their  en- 
gagements, they  lack  punctuality,  and  in  their 
friendships,  constancy;  yet  they  profess  a  fawning 
friendship  for  all.  Hence  the  French  traders  early 
applied  to  them,  in  derision,  the  term  of  dogs^  and 
foxes.  They  are  at  present  waring  with  the  Sioux, 
and  lately  surprised  and  killed  nine  of  that  nation, 
on  a  branch  of  the  St.  Peter's,  called  Terre  Bleu, 
where  they  both  resort  to  procure  the  blue  clay, 

with  which  they  are  fond  of  painting  themselves. 

There  is  now  a  war  party  of  twenty  men,  in  the 
same  direction,  under  a  half-breed,  by  the  name  of 
Morgan.  This  partj-  went  out  by  Turkey  river, 
and  are  supposed  to  have  marched  against  the  Sissi- 
tongs  of  the  St.  Peters.  They  are  also  on  bad 
terms  with  the  Pawnees,  and  Osages,  south  of  the 
Missouri,  and  with  the  Winnebagoesj  in  their  own 
neighbourhood,  from  whom  they  occasionally  steal 
horses,  and  are  plundered  in  return. 

In  1780,  a  discovery  of  lead  ore  was  made  upon 
their  lands  by  the  wife  of  Peosta,  a  warrior  of  the 
i^cttle  chief's  village,  and  extensive  mines  have 


3/f9 

since  been  discovered.  These,  were  granted  bj 
the  Indians  to  Julien  Dubuque  at  a  council  held  at 
Prairie  du  Chien  in  1788,  by  virtue  of  which  he 
settled  upon  the  lands—erected  buildings  and  furna- 
ces, and  continued  to  work  the  mines,  until  the 
year  1810.  In  the  meantime  (1796)  he  received 
a  confirmation  of  the  Indian  grant  from  the  Baron 
de  Carondelet,  Governor  of  Louisiana,  in  which 
they  were  designated  the  «  Mines  of  Spain." 

"  Julien  Dubuque,"  by  a  stone  monument  which 
stands  on  a  hill  near  the  mines,  ''  died  on  the  24th 
of  March,  1810,  aged  45  years,  6  months."    After 
his  death,  the  Indians  burnt  down  his  house  and  fen- 
ces, and  erased  every  vestige  of  civilized  life,  and 
they  have  since  revoked,    or  at  least,  denied  the 
grant,  and  appear  to  set  a  very  high  value  upon 
the  mmes.     Dubuque   dying  in  debt,  his  claims 
were  assigned  to  his  creditors,  by  whom  they  were 
presented  for  confirmation,  to  the  board  of  Com- 
missioners appointed  by  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment  in  1806,  to  determine  upon  the  land  titles  and 
grants  of  the  newly  acquired  Territory  of  Louisia- 
na.     By  this  Board,  the  claim  of  the  assignees  was 
determined  to   be  valid,   and  a  memorial  of  their 
proceedings  transmitted  to  the  Treasury  Depart-  * 
ment,  at  Washington,  for  the  final  decision  of  Con- 
gress.   In  this  stage  of  the  investigation,  Mr.  Gal- 
latin,  transmits,  by  way  of  report,  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  the  following  facts,  and  remarks 
which  may  be  considered  as  embracing  the  views  of 
the  government,  in  relation  to  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  the  western  land  claims,  which  still  re- 
main  undecided.  ^ 


350 


FACTS. 

"  In  1788,  Dubuque  purchased  from  the  Indians, 
ftn  extent  of  seven  leagues  front  on  the  Mississippi, 
by  three  leagues  in  depth,  containing  upwards  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  acres,  and  the  most 
valuable  lead  mines  of  Louitiiiana,  situated  about  five 
hundred  miles  above  St.  Lcuis.  The  sale  is  very 
vague ;  they  permit  Dubuque  to  work  the  mine  as 
long  as  he  pleases,  and  till  he  thinks  proper  to  aban- 
don  it,  without  confining  him  to  any  time  ;  and  they 
also  sell  him  the  hill  and  contents  of  the  land  (or 
mine)  found  by  Peosta's  wift,  and  if  he  finds  no- 
thing in  it,  he  may  work  where  he  pleases,  and 
■work  quietly.  In  1796,  he  presents  his  requete,  to 
Governor  Carondelet  at  New-Orleans,  stating  that 
he  has  made  a  settlement  (habitation)  or  settled  a 
plantation  amongst  the  Indians,  that  he  has  purchas- 
ed from  them  a  portion  of  land  with  all  the  mines 
therein  contained ;  that  the  habitation  is  but  apoint, 
and  inasmuch  as  the  mines  he  works,  are  three 
leagues  from  each  other,  he  requests  the  governor 
to  grant  him  the  peaceable  possession  of  the  mines  and 
lands,  contained  within  certain  natural  boundaries, 
and  which  he  states  as  being  above  six  leagues  in 
front,  and  three  in  depth. 

«  The  governor  refers  the  application  for  informa- 
tion to  A.  Todd,  who  had  the  monopoly  ol  the  In- 
dian trade  on  the  Mississippi. 

"  A.  Todd  reports,  that  no  objection  occurs  to  him, 
if  the  governor  thinks  it  convenient  to  grant  the  ap- 
plication, provided  that  Dubuque  shall  not  trade 
with  the  Indians  without  his  permission. 

"  Governor  Carondelet,  writes  at  the  foot  of  the  re- 
quest, "  granted  as  is  asked  (cor.*cedido  como  se  so- 


351 

licita)  under  the  restrictions  mentioned  by  Todd, 
in  his  information,  10th  November,  1796." 

"  Governor  Harrison  in  his  treaty  with  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes,  of  the  3d  November,  1804,  introduces  an  ar- 
ticle, by  which  it  is  agreed,  that  nothing  in  the  trea- 
ty shall  affect  the  claim  of  individuals  who  mii^ht 
have  obtained  grants  of  land  from  the  Spanish  go- 
vernment, known  to,  and  recognised  by  the  Indians, 
though  such  grants  be  not  included  within  the  boun- 
dary line  fixed  by  the  treaty  with  said  Indians.  And 
the  bame  governor  certifies  that  the  article  was  in- 
serted with  ihe  intention  of  particularly  embracing 
Dubuque's  claim.  The  claim  having  been  laid  be- 
fore the  commissioners,  they  made  on  the  20th  Sep 
tember,  1 806,  the  following  decision  : 

«  A  majority  of  the  board,  John  B.  C.  Lucas  dis- 
senting, ascertain  this  claim  to  be  a  complete  Spa- 
nish grant,  made  and  completed  prior  to  the  1st 
day  of  October,  1800. 

"  A  copy  of  that  decision,  tested  by  tht  assistant 
clerk  of  the  board,  has  been  delivered  to  Aug :  Chou- 
teau, who  had  purchased  from  Dubuque,  one  undi- 
vided half  of  the  claim." 

REMARKS. 

**  I.  Governor  Harrison's  treaty  adds  no  sanction 
to  the  claim :  it  is  onty  a  saving  clause  in  favour  of 
a  claim,  without  deciding  on  its  merits,  a  question 
which  indeed  he  had  no  authority  to  decide. 

*•  IL  The  form  of  the  concession,  if  it  shall  be  so 
called,  is  not  that  of  a  patent,  or  final  grant,  and 
that  it  was  not  coi  ;ii.t  n-e.d  as  such  the  commission- 
ers knew,  ad  they  '\ia'.  previously  received  a  list  pro- 
cured from  the  records  at  New-Orleans,  and  trans- 


mitted  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treamry,  of  nil  tl^e 
patents  issued  under  the  French  and  Spanish  go- 
vernments, in  which  this  was  not  included,  and 
which  also  showed  the  distinction  between  concet- 
sion,  and  patent,  or  complete  title. 
.  **11I.  The  form  of  the  concession  is  not  even  that 
used,  when  it  was  intended  ultimately  to  grant  the 
land ;  for  it  is  then  uniformly  accompanied  witti  an 
order  to  the  proper  officer  to  survey  the  land,  on 
which  survey  being  returned,  the  patent  issues. 

"  IV.  The  Governor  only  grants  aa  is  asked ;  and 
nothing  is  ask.  -A  but  the  peaceable  possession  of  a 
tract  of  land  on  which  the  Indians  had  given  a  per- 
sonal permission  to  work  the  lead  mines  as  long  as 
i^  she  aid  remain. 

"  Upon  ihs  whole,  this  appears  to  have  been  a 
mere  permission  to  work  certain  distant  mines,  with- 
out any  alienation  of,  or  intention  to  aMenate,  the 
domain. — Such  permission  might  be  revoked  at  will ; 
how  it  came  to  be  considered  as  transferring  the 
fee  simple,  or  even  as  an  incipient  and  incomplete 
title  to  the  fee  simple,  cannot  be  understood. 

>^It  seems,  also,  that  the  commissioners,  ought 
not  to  have  given  to  any  person  certificates  of  their 
proceeding,  tending  to  give  a  colour  of  title  to 
claimants.  They  were  by  law  directed  to  transmit 
to  the  treasury  a  transcript  of  their  decisions,  in 
order  that  the  same  might  be  laid  before  Congress 
for  approbation  or  rejection."* 

The  mines  of  Dubuque  were  among  the  objects 
to  which  the  attention  of  Lieutenant  Pike  was  di- 

*  Collection  of  Land  Laws  of  the  United  States,  printed  at 
Washington,  1817. 


i?,  ■:*■.., 

■■"'%?■'-' 
,         ■>>,,•-.*■ 


rected,  in  his  voyage  up  the  Mississippi  in  1805,  but 
a  number  of  circumstances  prevented  him  from  vis- 
iting the  mines,  or  from  procuring  much  information 
upon  the  subject.  It  did  not  suit  the  views  of  Mr. 
Dubuque,  to  encourage  his  visit—the  mines  were 
represented  at  a  great  distance—he  pretended  to 
have  no  horses  at  command,  &c.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, Lieuteant  Pike  contented  himself,  by 
proposing  to  Mr.  Dubuque,  a  number  of  queries  in 
writing,  but  the  answers  given,  do  not  appear  to  be 
entitled  to  full  conadence,  and  are  somewhat  equi- 
vocal.*  ^ 

*Queriea  proposed  by  Lieutenant  Pike,  to  Mr.  Dubuque-with 

his  Answers. 

1.  What  is  the  dale  of  yourgrant  of  the  mines  from  the  savages  ? 
^iw.  The  copy  of  the  grant  is  in  Mr-  Soulard's  Office,  at  Su 

JLouis. 

2.  What  is  the  date  of  the  confirmation  by  the  Spaniards  ? 
^na.  The  same  aa  to  query  first. 

S.  What  is  the  extent  of  your  grant  ? 
j4m.  The  same  as  above. 

4.  What  is  the  extent  of  the  mines  ? 

Ans.  Twenty^ightor  twenty-seven  leagues  long,  and  from  OM 
to  three  broad. 

5.  Lead  made  per  annum  ? 
Am.  From  20  to  40,000  pounds. 

6.  Quantity  of  lead  per  cwt.  of  mineral  ? 
Jna.  Seventy-five  percent. 

7.  Quantity  of  lead  in  pigs  ? 

Am.  All  he  makes,  as  he  neither  manufactures  bar,  sheet-leads 
or  shot.  ' 

8.  If  mixed  with  any  other  mineral  ? 

Ans.  We  have  seen  some  copper,  but  having  no  person  suffi- 
ciently  acquainted  with  chemistry,  to  make  the  experiment,  pro- 
perly,  I  cannot  say  a?  to  the  proportion  it  bears  to  the  lead. 

J.  DUBUQUE, 

1       AAM-  c  2-    M.    PIKE. 

Lead  Mines,  1st  Sept.  1805. 

4.1 


351 


Having  examined  the  minea  with  as  much  mi- 
natene88,  as  the  time  allotted  to  me,  would  permit, 
I  returned  to  the  Mississippi  in  the  evening,  and 
proceeding  two  leagues  up  the  river,  encamped  up- 
on an  island,  at  eight  o'clock. 

LXXVII.  Vfir.—{Jugast  Sth.)—\  embarked  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning—passed  the  mouth  of 
Turkey  river  at  two  o'clock — and  encamped  upon  a 
small  island,  one  league  below  the  mouth  of  the 
Ousconsing,  at  eight  in  the  evening,  having  been 
sixteen  hours  in  my  canoe,  and  ascended  the  river 
sixty-three  miles. 

LXXVIII.  Day.— (Jm^i;  9//t.)— I  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  Ousconsing  before  day-break,  and 
reached  Prairie  du  Chien,  at  six  in  the  morning, 
after  an  absence  of  three  days,  during  which,  I  have 
travelled  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  forty-five  of 
wl ;  H  were  made  under  an  exposure  to  a  rain  storm. 

'i  valley  of  the  Mississippi  betweeii  Prairie  du 
Chien,  and  the  lead  mines  of  Dubuque,  is  about  two 
miles  in  width,  and  consists  of  a  rich  deposit  of  al- 
luvial soil,  a  part  of  which,  is  prairie ;  an«l  the  re- 
mainder, covered  with  a  heavy  forest  of  elm,  sugar 
tree,  black  walnut,  ash,  and  cotton  wood.  It  is 
bounded  on  each  side  by  corresponding  bluffs  of 
calcareous  rocks,  which  attain  a  general  elevation 
of  four  hundred  feet,  and  throw  an  interest  over  the 

scene which  prairies  and  forests-  -woody  islands, 

and  winding  channels,  beautiful  and  picturesque,  as 
they  certainly  are,  must  fail  to  create.  It  is  to  these 
blurts,— now  shooting  into  spiral  columns,  naked  and 
rriimhling— now  sloping  into  grassy  hills  or  inter- 


sected  by  lateral  vallies — here,  grouped  in  the 
fantastic  forms  of  some  antiquated  battlement, 
mocking  the  ingenuity  of  man— there,  stretching  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach  in  a  perpendicular  wall- 
but  ever  varying— pleasing— and  new— it  is  to 
these  bluffs,  that  the  valley  of  the  upper  Mississip- 
pi, owes  all  its  grandeur  and  magnificence.  Its  broad 
and  glittering  channel— its  woodless  prairies  and  as- 
piring forests-itft  flowering  shrubs  and  animated  pro- 
ductions—only  serve  to  fill  up,  and  give  effect  to 
the  imposing  outline,  so  boldly  sketched  by  the  pen- 

Gil  of  nature,  in  these  sublime  and  pleasing  bluffs. 

Yet,  there  is  much  in  the  detail  of  the  scene,  to  ad- 
mire— in  the  beauty  of  its  tints— the  fancy  of  the 
grouping— and  the  mellowness  of  the  shades. 

Among  the  humbler  growth,  which  adorns  the 
borders  of  the  forest,  the  cornus  florida,  the  sarsa- 
parilla,  and  the  sumach,  are  frequently  to  be  seen, 
still  beautiful  in  the  unbleached  verdure  of  spring, 
and  bathing  their  impending  branches  in  the  rushing 
stream,  while  the  splendid  foliage  of  the  autumnal 
forest,  is  already  visible  in  the  rich  hues  ofthe  fading 
maple,  the  heart-leaved  aspen,  and  the  populus 
angulata. 

The  tall  grass  of  the  prairies,  although  it  has  al. 
so  assumed  the  yellow  hue  of  autumn,  and  rustles  in 
the  northern  breeze,  is  yet  occasionally  chequered 
with  green  copses  of  shrubby  oaks,  and  beautified 
with  the  peculiar  tribe  of  heath-flowers,  which  lin- 
ger unblown,  through  the  sultry  heats  of  July,  to 
scatter  their  fragrance  over  the  fading  fields  of  Au- 
gust. The  channel  of  the  river,  is  often  expanded 
tc  an  amazing  width,  and  spotted  with  innumerable 
islands,  some  of  which,  are  nothing  more  than  a 


i    I 


35ft 


bank  of  yellow  sandti  just  loamiiig  above  the  water, 
and  crowned  with  a  brqshy  growth,  of  young  wil 
lows  and  slender  cotton  woods :  others,  present 
copses  of  the  tallest  trees,  which  are  not  uiifre- 
quently  precipitated  bodily  into  the  stream,  by  the 
undermining  currents  of  the  river,  or  hang  from  th 
new  fallen  alluvial  banks,  with  their  branches  dip- 
ping into  the  stream.  Perched  upon  these,  we  in- 
variably find  the  heron*  and  king-fisher,  who.  with 
motionless  anxiety,  watch  for  their  finny  prey.  The 
eagle,  and  the  hawk,  choose  a  more  elevated  seat  to 
watch  for  their  food,  while  the  buzzard,  with  an  ea- 
sy wing,  is  continually  sailing  through  the  air,  ea- 
gerly scanning  the  lower  plains,  for  its  favourite  car- 
rion. The  white  pelican,  is  also,  very  frequent,  along 
this  part  of  the  river,  but  is  always  found  upon  the 
point  of  some  naked  sand  bar,  which  I  conclude  to 
be  the  most  favourable  spot  for  taking  its  food.  The 
duck,  and  the  goose,  appear  to  be  tlie  only  species 
of  water-fowl,  which  are  always  in  motion,  and  it  iei 
rare  to  see  them  seated  upon  the  shore,  but, 
this  may  be  less  the  result  of  their  superior  activity, 
and  natural  sprightlincss,  than  the  strong  necessity 
of  continually  searching  for  those  aquatic  plants, 
which  constitute  their  favourite  food.  The  pigeon, 
the  snipe,  the  wild  turkey,  the  raven,  and  the  jay, 
are  also  common  along  this  part  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  contribute,  by  their  appearance,  to  enliven  and 
diversify  the  scene.  Nor,  is  it  uncommon,  during  the 
heats  of  noon,  to  behold  the  savage,  reclining  be- 
neath the  grateful  shade  of  the  oak,  upon  some 
breezy  knoll  oi  the  contiguous  bluffl— 


367 

"  Nor  feeli  for  aught,  nor  has  a  wish  that  go«s 
Beyond  his  present  succour  and  repose.— 
To-day's  support  employs  to-day  his  thought,         ' 
To-morrow's  meal  must  be  to-morrow  sought." 

Satisfied  with  present  competence,  he  thinks  no4 
of  f  he  long,  and  dreary  winter,  which  shall  soon  de- 
form his  native  eky— of  the  pinching  hunger,  which 
shall  await  hisimprovidence—oftheprecariousness, 
of  the  chace-   of  the  rapid  diminution  of  his  tribes, 
before  the  resistless  march  of  European  population^ 
of  the  evils,  they  have  introduced  into  it,  and  of  its 
slow,  certain,  and  total  annihilation;    but,  dreaming 
of  the  beauty  of  his  nafl' -  mountains,  envies  not 
eastern  monarchs  their  possessions,  while  all   his 
bliss — all  his  hopes — and  all  his  ambition,  are  cen- 
tered in  the  unrestrained  enjoyment  of  liberty,  and 
the  land  of  his  forefathers. 

«  Dear  is  that  shed  to  which  their  souls  conform, 
"And  dear  the  hill  that  lifts  them  to  the  storm  j 
"  And  aa  a  babe,  when  scaring  sounds  molest, 
"  *'|ing8  close,  and  closer,  to  the  mother's  breast— 
"  So  the  loud  torrent,  and  the  whirlwind's  roar, 
«*  But  binds  them  to  their  native  mountains  more." 

Goldsmith. 


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CHAPTER  XIII. 


JOURNEY^ 


FROM  PSMRIB  DU  CBIEM;  BY  TOE   OUSCOJ^Sma  AJ^D 
^  FOX  RIVERS,  TO  OREEJ^  BAT. 


»Wi 


W 


LXXVIIL  Day.--(^«^<  m.) 


During  our  stay  at  prairie  du  Chien,  we  observ- 
ed a  remarkable  instance  of  natural  deformity,  in 
the  person  of  an  Indian,  who  had  just  come  in  from 
the  interior.  This  sin£;ular  being,  was  provided  by 
nature,  with  double  the  usual  number  of  joints  in 
each  arm,  and  leg,  by  which  means,  he  was  render- 
edt  in  some  measure,  helpless,  and  unable  either  to 
stand,  or  walk.  By  an  effort  of  savage  ingenuity, 
however,  this  redundancy  of  joints,  was  made  the 
means  of  procuring  locomotion,  by  coiling  his  legs 
in  a  lai^e  wooden  bowl,  in  which  he  rolled  himself 
along,  over  a  smooth  surface,  with  considerable  fa- 
cility. The  powers  of  his  mind,  were  not,  however, 
in  the  least  affected,  by  this  corporeal  degradation, 
but  appeared,  on  the  contrary,  vigorous,  and  supe- 
rior to  the  generality  of  his  tribe.  He  spoke  seve- 
ral Indian  tongues,  and  conversed  fluently  in  the 
French  language,  as  it  is  generally  spoken  by  the 
Canadian  voyageurs,  and  northwest  traders ;  and  his 


359 

wbolec.u„,en»c.e bespoke inielligence,  »d «.„.«) 

We  lea  Prairie  du  Chien  at  half  past  ten  in  the 
morning,  and  entering  the  Ousconsing  threlll« 
beh,„,  ascended  that  river  eighteen  mlle^itw 
"•de.  and  shalW  etream,  rinning  "r^.  L  t 
»nd-wi.h  transparent  ^^tjl^  clJ^,^ 
w..h  nu-nerous  sn»U  islamls,  and  sand  wTh^ 
anallamlvalley.of  amile  in  width,  bou„d^  o^ 

sent  naked  precipices  towards  the  river —Ti,  J  _ 
dominating  tree,,  arc  oak.  elm.  a^d^pi;;""' ''"'■ 

LXXIX.  Day.— (jlugmi  lOrt.)— Quittin.  our  «„ 
cmpmentatfive  o'clock,  A.  M.  we«^5d^'2 
river  thirty-six  miles.     During  this  disTaScTint 

,  °'™  "™'-     "  »  «  stream  of  small  size_i..(i, 
clear  water_a„d  originates  in  highlands,  't^the 
bjmks  of  Bock  river.     No  chan^  is  observ^t 
the  appearance  of  the  Ousconsing-there  i.  „„ 
ceptible  diminution,  eitherin  the^idrhTf  the  rfC 
or  Its  vdlejr.     The  bluSs.  continue  to  bound  .TeT' 
rer  on  both  sides.    The  weather  was  feir  and  wt™ 
daringtheforepartof  the  day.  but  suddenly  cuT 
ed  up,  in  the  afternoon,  when  we  had  a  shower  of 
ram,  attended  with  thunder  and  lightning. 

r:J^}^^  Da^-C^"^*  llrt.)_On  ascending  the 
r  ver  siiteen  m,lee,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  P^! 

the  left,  at  thejonction  of  which,  there  is  a  villam  rf 
Wmnebagoes,  of  four  lodges.  Here  we  stop^  ^ 
few  moments.    The  I„di«»  appeared  friendfn.1 


360 

presented  us  some  dried  venison:— we  engaged  two 
of  them  to  pilot  us  up  the  river,  to  the  portage,  and 
make  some  mineral  discoveries.  The  navigation  of 
the  river  above,  is  considerably  impeded  by  sand 
bars,  and  small  islands,  and  some  time  is  lost,  in 
searching  for  the  proper  chai^nel.  The  water  is 
shallow — clear — and  very  warm.— The  current  is 
strong,  although  without  any  falls  or  rapids.  Nu- 
merous muscle,  and  other  shells,  are  strewed  along 
the  sandy  shores,  some  of  which  are  very  large,  oth- 
ers, exceedingly  small,  with  transparei.t  shells,  and 
colours  beautifully  variegated.— The  plover,  wild 
goose,  king-fisher,  and  small  yellow  bird,  are  seen 
along  this  part  of  the  river.  The  river  bluffs  con- 
tinue, sometimes  receding  a  mile  or  two  from  the  ri^ 
ver,  and  giving  place  to  bottom  lands,  and  patches 
of  prairie,  then  shutting  in  close  upon  the  water^s 
edge.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  we  overtook  a 
barge  and  Indian  canoe,  which  had  been  dispatch- 
ed in  advance,  from  the  Prairie,  on  the  eighth,  un- 
der the  charge  of  Mr.  Chase.  We  encamped  at 
twilight,  at  the  head  of  the  Spruce  Channel,  having 
ascended  the  river  thirty-four  miles. 

LXXXl.  DAY.-~(Jttgfw/ 12/*.)— Proceeded  up  the 
river  at  twenty  minutes  before  five^ — weather  fair. — 
Ascended  forty  miles,  and  encamped  on  a  sand  bar, 
on  the  left  shore.  Highlands  continue.— Trees, 
oak,  elm,  and  maple.  Alluvial  bottom  lands :  and 
prairies,  occasionally,  on  either  shore.  Rock  stra- 
ta, compact  lime  stone,  reposing  upon  white  sand- 
stone.   A  shower  of  rain,  at  six  in  the  evening. 


ddtv 

eigS";  °*"^-^''*"'  >*A.)-A.ee„ded  thirty 

LXXXIII.  Dav-(^«^,^  Uth.^^A  rainstorm  af- 
ertirelve  o'clock  at  night--cleared  off  at  seven  ih 
the  morning,  when  we  embarked,  and  reached  the 
port^e  between  the  Ousconsing  and  Fox  rivers,  at 
one  o'clock  P.  M.^iatance  sixteen  miles.  CrL- 
ed  over  the  portage,  and  encamped  on  the  head  of 
r  ox  river. 

Jhe  entire  distance  from  the  Prairie  du  Chien  tathe 

e^^ir*        *^,'  ^."«^«"«'"&'   »«  one  hundred  and 
eighty-two  miles,  in  which  distance  the  navigation 
IB  not  impeded  with  a  fall  or  rapid,  but  thJCr 
runs  with  great  velocity,  and  may  be  estimated  to 
have  a  mean  descen: «;,  two  feet  per  mile.     This  is 
equal  to  the  Mississippi,  below  the  junction  of  the 
Mi«sou„      We  were  five  days  engaged  in  U.e  as! 
cent,  without,  however,  devoting  much  time  to  the 
examination  of  the  contiguous  country.    The  width 
of  the  nver  is  eight  hundred  yards  at  its  mouth,  and 
decreases  to  about  four  hundred  at  the  portaee  -A 
Cham  of  limestone  hills  extends  from  the  Mississip, 
pi,  on  each  shore,  to  within  twenty  miles  of  the 
portage,  where  it  ceases  on  the  south  shore,  but  con- 
tinues on  the  north,  receding,  however,  a  consider- 
able distance  from  the  river.     This  tract  is  called 
he    Highlands  of  the  Ousconsing.       I„    passing 
through  it,  the  river  presents  a  number  of  interest- 

LT?  P*^*"'^J^"«  ^*«^«'  the  most  striking  of  which 
18  that  of  the  Sugar  Loaf  mountain,  and  U  Petit 
^ns.  The  geological  character  of  this  tract  of 
country,  presents  little  variety.    A  dark  grey  cod, 

46 


r 


1 


362 

pact  limestone,  forms  the  surface  rock,  and  is  bed- 
ded on  white  sandstone.  The  former,  is,  however, 
so  far  as  observed,  destitute  of  organic  remains, 
and  perhaps,  the  latter,  might  be  considered  as  a 
variety  of  grauwacke.  There  are  some  scattered 
lumps  of  iron  ore  upon  the  hills,  and  a  lead  mine  is 
reported  to  exist  upon  the  south  shore,  about  eighty 
miles  east  of  the  Mississippi.  The  Indians  also  la- 
port  that  they  have  frequently  iound  copper  and 
silver  upon  this  river,  but  the  guides  who  accom- 
panied us,  with  a  promise  to  discover  the  localities 
of  these  minerals,  either  amused  us  wi|b  idle  tales, 
Qr  avoided  conducting  us  to  the  places,  where  these 
metals  may,  in  reality,  exist  j  by  stating  a  great  many 
difficulties  and  excuses.  A  Winnebago  Indian,  who 
bad  promised  to  bring  in  a  specimen  of  silver  ore, 
presented,  with  great  ceremony,  to  Governor  Cass, 
some  small  detached  folia  of  mica,  and  the 
same  substance,  in  its  natural  association  in  granitic 
rock.  This  shows,  what  little  reliance  can  be  pla- 
ined upon  Indian  information,  with  respect  to  mine- 
rtalogy,  even  when  their  veracity  is  not  called  in 
question.  It  would  be  well,  however,  if,  in  regard 
%o  Ihe  mineral  kingdom,  only,  this  people  had  not 
yet  adopted  the  maxim,  that  '•  all  is  not  gold  that 

glittersb" 

T^««  Ousconsing  is  ascended  in  canoes  ninety 
miles  above  the  portage,  and  is  connected  by 
short  portages,  with  the  Ontonagon,  and  Mon- 
treal fivers  of  Lake  S  ^rior.  The  largest  wild 
animals  now  found  along  its  banks,  are  the  deer, 
the  bear,  and  the  Ibx.  The  elk,  and  buffalo,  have 
iMBen  driven  off  many  years  ago.  Neither  is  it  a  fe- 
vourite  resort  of  water  fowl,  which  is  probably  ow- 
ing to  the  fact,  that  it  does  not  afford  the  wild  rice,  at 


least,  in  any  considerable  quantity.  Geese  and 
ducks  occasionally  alight  in  it,  on  their  migratory 
joumies,  but  do  not  tarry  long.  We  observed  tb« 
snipe,  plover,  grouse,  king-fisher,  wild  turkey,  and 
some^maller  birds.  Two  kinds  of  rattlesnake  are 
also  found  along  ito  banks.  The  firsts  which  in- 
habits the  hills,  is  the  crotalus  horridus,  and  at- 
tains  a  large  size,  i  killed  one,  in  coining  up  thft 
river,  measuring  four  feet  in  length,  anc'  furnished 
with  nine  rattles.  The  Indians,  on  opening  it,  took 
out  eleven  young.  The  other  variety  is  small,  selw 
dom  exceeding  eighteen  inches  in  length,  and  is 
confined  to  the  lowlands  and  prairies.  This  is  call- 
ed the  i>rairic  rattlesnake,  and  is  common  eboutthc 
portage. 

This  river  was  formerly  inhabited  by  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes,  who  raised  large  quantities  of  corn  nkid 
beans  upon  its  fertile  shoics,  but  they  were  driven 
off  by  the  Chippeways,  instigated  b;'  the  French.— 
It  is  now  possessed  by  the  Winnebagoes,  a  savage, 
and  blood-thirsty  tribe,  who  came,  many  years  ago, 
from  ibe  south,  and  are  related  to  some  of  the  Met- 
iean  tribes.  Their  largest  village,  upon  this  stream, 
is  three  or  four  miles  above  the  portage,  and  con- 
sists of  forty  lodges. 

The  length  of  the  portage,  from  the  Ousconsing, 
Id  the  Fox  river,  is  a  mile  and  a  half,  across  a 
level  prairie.  There  is  a  good  waggon  road,  and  a 
Frenchman  lives  on  the  spot,  who  keeps  a  number 
of  horses  and  cattle,  for  the  transportation  of  bag- 
gage, for  which  twenty-five  cenjs  per  hundred  weight, 
18  demanded.  Such  is  the  little  difference  in  the  level 
of  the  two  streams,  that  during  high  water,  canoes 
frequently  pass,  loaded,  across  the  lowest  parts  of 


thfe  prairie,  from  one  river  to  the  other.  The  por» 
tage  is  very  niuddy  in  the  spring  and  fall,  being  over 
a  rich  alluvial  soil,  but  we  found  it  dry,  and  pleas- 
ant. 


LXXXIV.  DAY,^(jiugust  15^A.)— We  embarked 
Bt  the  head  of  Fox  river,  at  half  past  three  in  the 
afternoon,  and  descended  fifteen  miles  to  the  Forks. 
The  river  in  this  distance,  is  about  twenty  yards 
wide,  but  often  expands  into  little  lakes,  or  ponds, 
and  is  extremely  devious  in  its  course.  It  is  filled 
with  wild  rice,  which  so  chokes  up  the  channel, 
that  it  is  difficult  to  find  a  passage  through  it.  The 
shores  slope  up  gently  from  the  water's  edge,  and 
are  covered  with  scattering  oiaks,  and  prairie  grass, 
but  they  do  not  attain  much  elevation,  and  disclose 
no  rock  strata. 

LXXXV  DAY.'-(j3ugusi  16/A.)--Thirty  miles  be- 
low its  fc  !i8,  the  Fox  river  expands  into  a  lake, 
called  Lac  du  Boeuf,  which  is  nine  miles  in  length, 
by  one  and  a  half  in  width,  and  abounds  in  wild 
rice.  Twelve  miles  lower,  the  river  expands  into 
another  lake,  called  Puckaway,  which  is  twelve 
miles  long,  by  two  in  width.  This  is  also  filled  with 
wild  rice,  and  rushes,  and  with  abundance  of  water 
fowl  in  the  season.  There  is  a  village  of  Puants 
or  WinnebagoeR,  of  seven  or  eight  lodges,  on  the 
west  shore.  We  encamped  at  the  foot  of  this  lake, 
having  descended  the  river  sixty-three  miles.  The 
course  of  ,the  river  is  less  serpentine  than  about  its 
source,  but  the  channel  continues  to  be  filled  with 
wild  rice,  reeds,  and  bulrushes.  The  adjoining 
country  lies  in  gentle  slopes^  and  is  finely  diversified 


-ffX'. 


366 

With  Woods  and  prairies.  It  appears  to  be  well 
adt^^ted  to  the  raising  of  stock,  and  any  quantity  of 
grabs  might  be  cut  on  the  prairies.  The  soil  is  of 
the  richest  kind,  and  is  capable  of  supporting  a 
dense  agricultural  population. 

LXXXVf.  DAY.'^{jiugust  17/A.).-.  Fox  river,  which 
has   scarcely  a  perceptible  current    above  Lake 
Pucka  way,  has   a  visible  one,  below  it,  where  its 
mean  velocity  may  be  reckoned  at  one  mile  per  hour. 
A  few  miles  below  our  encampment,  we  passed  three 
Winnebago  lodges  on  the  right  bank,  and  a  short 
distance  lower  down,  five  more  on  the  left.    The 
forest  here  becomes  heavier,  and  approaches  nearer 
the  margin  of  the  river,  and  among  its  trees,  we  here 
first  noticed  the  poplar  and  the  birch.     The  river 
De  Loup  joins  the  Fox  river,  twenty-eight  miles  be- 
low  Puckaway  lake,  and  there  is  a  grass-covered 
hfJnear  the  point  of  junction,  called  La  Butte  de 
Mort,  or  the  hillock  of  the  dead,  where  the  Fox  na- 
tion were  nearly  exterminated  many  years  ago,  by 
the  French  and  Chippeways.    It  id  now  the  site  of  a 
small  Winnebago  village,  and  affords  a  picturesque 
view  from  the  river.       We  encamped  seventeen 
leagues  below  this  spot,  on  the  left  shore,  having 
descended  the  river  seventy  miles. 

LXXXVII.  DAY.^(jSugust  18/A.)— The  night  was 
remarkably  cold,  with  a  dense  fog  in  the  morning, 
and  we  now  first  enjoyed  an  exemption  from  the  at- 
tacks of  the  musquitoes.  We  embarked  at  half  past 
five,  A.  M.— wild  rice  continues  along  the  shores— 
the  stream  increases  in  width—no  rocks  in  situ- 
some  pebbles  and  detached  blocks  of  hornblende 


->.    M 


1    : 


368 

granite,  Atid  limeBtone  along  the  shore — ^also,  an 
abundance  of  muscle  and  cockle  shells.— Trees, 
oak,  maple,  and  hickory.— Soil,  a  rich  alluvion. 

On  descending  fifteen  milos,  we  passed  the  mouth 
of  the  Menomonie  or  Wolf  river,  which  is  nearly  of 
equal  size  with  the  Fox,  and  is  noted  for  its  abundant 
production  of  wild  ri<^,  and  the  myriads  of  wild 
ibwl,  that  resort  to  it,  at  certain  seasons.  Five  miles 
below  the  junction  of  these  streams,  we  entered 
Winnebago  lake,  at  ten  o^clock  in  the  morning.—- 
This  is  a  handsome  sheet  of  ckar  water,  twenty- 
four  miles  long,  by  ten  in  width.  It  receives  a  con- 
siderable tributary  on  the  south,  called  Crocodile  or 
Hice  river,  which  is  connected  by  means  of  a  short 
portage,  with  the  Rock  river  of  the  Mississippi. — 
Near  the  upper  end  of  this  lake,  there  is  a  village  of 
W  innebagoes,  of  ten  lodges,  and  another,  of  a  like 
number  of  lodges,  at  its  outlet.  There  is  also  a  vil- 
lage of  Menomonies,  of  srxty  souls,  on  the  south- 
ern shore,  about  half  way  between  the  lower  Puant 
village,  and  the  mouth  of  Crocodile  river.  The 
Fox  river,  where  it  issues  from  Winnebago  lake,  has 
a  rapid,  extending  a  mile  and  a  lialf,  over  which  the 
canoes  pass,  with  half  loads.  We  here  entrusted 
our  canoes  to  Indian  pilots,  and  proceeded  on  ibot, 
to  the  termination  of  the  rapids.  Nine  miles  below, 
is  the  fall  of  the  grand  Konomee,  where  the  river 
has  a  perpendicular  descent  of  five  feet.  Here  is  a 
portage  of  one  mile.  The  caiu>es  are  lifted  over 
the  falls,  and  conducted  to  the  place  of  embarka- 
tion below.  The  (all  is  over  a  ledge  of  Kaiestone 
rock,  appanently  of  the  transition  claes.  Some  cal- 
careous spar  is  found  imbedded.  The  entire  de» 
scent  of  tlie  rker  at  this  portagie,  is  probably  fifteen 
feet.    We  encamped  at  the  foot  of  the  grand  Kg- 


3G7 

nomee,  some  time  after  dark,  having  progreued  al* 
together  sixty  miles.  ] 

LXXXVIII.  DAY.--~(Juguit  19/A.)— It  19  twelve 
miles  from  the  Grand  Konomee  to  the  falls  of  Ka* 
kaliii,  during  which  distance,  the  bed  of  the  river 
is  fun  of  fragments  of  rock,  with  shallow  water ;  and 
may  be  considered  at  this  reason,  as  one  contin- 
ued rapid.    The  river  is  skirted  by  alluvial  ridges, 
covered  with  white  and  black  oak,   and  prairie 
grass.    This  deposition  rests  upon  calcareous  rock, 
which  appears  in  horizontal  strata  at  the  water's 
edge,  and  in  the  bed  of  the  river,     (t  contains  no 
imbedded  remains,  but,  on  breaking  it,  discloses  mi- 
nute cavities,  filled  with  calcareous  spar  in  a  variety 
of  crystalline  forms,  and  often  connected  with  iron 
pyrites.    Disseminated  through  the  rock,  are  else 
found,  small  particles  of  sulphuretof  zinc,  or  black 
blen'' :.    These  appearances  are  particularly  appa- 
rent, in  the  flat  rocks  at  the  Kakalin,and  for  two  or 
three  miles  above,  on  the  north  shore.     In  descend- 
ing this  part  of  the  river,  we  cannot  avoid  remark- 
ing, the  immense  quantity  of  muscle  shells  scatter- 
ed along  the  shore,  and  sometimes  piled  up  in  the 
bed  of  the  stream.    On  enquiring  of  the  Indians  the 
cause  of  this  singular  appearance,  they  observed, 
that  the  muscle  is  the  common  food  of  the  muskrat, 
which  fishes  for  these  Crustacea,  in  the  bed  of  the 
stream,  and  carrying  them  to  the  mouth  of  its  hab^ 
itation,  upon  the  banks  of  the  river,  there  opens 
Ihem  upon  one  spot.     We  reached  the  Kakalin  at 
noon,  and  found  it  the  site  of  a  Winnebago  village 
of  eleven  or  twelve  lodges,  and  two  hundred  souls. 
There  is  a  portage  of  one  mile,  across  a  level  prai- 


'*w=  ^ 


3f*8 

rie,  and  the  river  has  an  aggregate  descent  of  twea- 
tjr  feet.  We  proceeded  eight  miles  below,  and  en- 
camped  on  the  north  shore,  having  descended  but 
twcnij'  miles  during  the  day.  This  is  owing  to  the 
low  stage  of  the  water,  and  the  difficulties  of  the 
rapids,  which  have  been  such,  that  we  were  compel- 
led to  leave  our  barge  upon  the  rocks,  between  the 
rapids  of  the  Konomee  and  the  Kakalin. 

liXXXIX.  Day. — {August^  20/A,) — A  heavy  fog 
in  the  morning,  prevented  us  from  quitting  our  en- 
campment until  seven  o^clock. — Six  miles  below,  we 
passed  the  rapids  of  the  little  Kakalin,  which,  how- 
ever, oppose  no  serious  obstacle  to  the  navigation 
of  the  river,  on  the  descent.  Here,  we  found  a  small 
party  of  United  States  soldiers,  who  were  engaged 
in  preparing  the  foundation  for  a  saw  mill,  which  ia 
to  be  erected  at  that  spot  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  garrison,  and  settlement  at  Green  Bay.  There 
is  another  small  rapid,  seven  miles  below,  called 
Rock  rapid,  from  which  it  is  five  more  to  the  garri- 
son, where  we  arrived  at  one  o^clock  P.  M.  The 
settlement  of  Green  Bay  commences  at  the  little 
Kakalin,  twelve  miles  above  the  fort ;  and  is  very 
compact,  from  the  Rock  rapid.  Here,  we  are  first 
presented  with  a  view  of  the  fort ;  and  nothing  can 
exceed  the  beauty  of  the  intermediate  country — 
chequered  as  it  is,  with  farm  houses,  fences,  culti- 
vated fields,  the  broad  expanse  of  the  river-— the 
bannered  masts  of  the  vessels  in  the  distant  bay, 
and  the  warlike  array  of  military  barracks,  camps, 
and  parades.  This  scene  burst  suddenly  into  view, 
and  no  combination  of  objects  in  the  physiognomy 
of  a  country,  could  be  more  happily  arranged,  af- 


369 

«erw  long.  Bojoummont  in  the  wildernws,  to  recall 
It  once  to  the  imagln.tion,  the  mo.t  pleating  recol- 
ection.  ofciviliaed  life,  and  indeed,  the  circum. 
•taiicei  of  our  return,  would  have  produced  a  hiirh 
degree  of  exhilaration  ;  without  the  additional  ei- 
citements  of  military  music,  which  now  saluted  our 
•an,  ai»d  the  peals  of  arailerjr  which  hid  us  wel- 
come  to  the  fort. 

at  Ja*  •^'^i'^r"^ «''  O*"**"  B«y  "  one  of  ancient 
atand.ng,  having  been  first  begun  by  the  French 
about  the  year  1670.    It  now  consists  of  sixty  dwel- 
ling  houses,  and  five  hundred  inhabitants,  exclusive 
of  the  garnaon.    There  are  seventy  of  the  inhabit- 
tnts  enrolled  as  militia  men,  and  it  is  said  fifty  „or« 
will  be  added  during  the  ensuing  year,  who  are 
now  subject  to  military  duty.     The  inhabitants  ar^ 
w,th  few  exceptions,  French,  who  have  intermar- 
ned  with  Indian  women,  and  are  said  generally,  to 
be  mdolent,  gay,  intemperate,  and  illiterate;    but 
I  cannot  speak  from  personal  observation.     The? 
are  represented  to  have  been  subservient  to  the  in. 
terests  of  the  British,  during  the  late  war.    This  set- 
tiement  is  now  the  seat  of  justice  for  Brown  coun- 
ty,  in  the  territory  of  Michigan,  and  the  ordinary 
courts  of  law  are  established. 

The  lopt  is  situated  on  a  handsome  grassy  plain, 
on  the  north  bank  of  Fox  river,  near  the  point  of  its 
entrance  into  Graen  Bay.  It  consists  of  a  range  of 
log  barracks,  facing  three  sides  of  a  square  parade, 
andsurrounded  by  astockade  of  timber,  thirty  feet 
high,  with  block  houses  at  the  angled.  The  whole 
18  white  washed,  and  presents  a  neat  military  appear- 
ance,   It  IB  at  present  garrisoned  by  three  hundred 

47 


i 


370 

men,  under  Captain  Whistler,  who  has  the  tempora- 
rjr  command  of  the  post,  during  the  absence  of  Colo- 
nel J.  L.  Smith.  There  are^lso  about  three  hundred 
infantry,  in  cantonments,  at  Camp  Smith,  three 
miles  above  fort  Brown,  on  »he  south  side  of  the 
river,  where  preparations  are  making  to  erect  a  per- 
manent fortification  of  stone,  during  the  ensuing  year. 
The  site  chosen  for  the  'vork  is  extremely  beautifuU 
airy,  and  commanding.  A  party  of  men  have  beenem- 
|>loyed  during  the  summer,  in  quarrying  the  building 
8ton«,  near  the  Rock  rapid.  On  visiting  this  quarry, 
I  found  it  to  consist  of  a  bluish-grey  limestone,  senai- 
crystalline  in  its  structure,  and  containing  small  dis^ 
seminated  masses  of  blende,  sometimes  in  cavities 
liloag  with  calcareous  sper,  and  iron  pyrites. 

XC.  Day— (August  2 !»/.)— Fox  river  has  been 
characterized  by  one  of  the  oldest  writers  on  Amer- 
ican topography,*  as  "  a  muddy  stream,  abounding 
equally  in  rocks  and  savannahs,  and  inclosed  with  a 
steep  coast,  and  frightful  rocks,"  but  these  traits,  al- 
though generally  characteristic  of  the  river,  are  not 
all  applicable  to  any  individual  sections  of  it;  for 
wherever  its  bank?  are  muddy  or  matshy,  ther**  are 
no  rock  str':*a,  and  in  passing  over  those  shallows, 
where  the  latter  crop  out,  particularly  in  a  birch- 
bark  canoe,  and  during  the  sumiK^er  season,  whta 
the  water  is  lowest,  the  term  "  frightful"  will  con- 
vey a  just  idea  of  the  dangers  aiid  difficulties  of  the 
navigation. 

The  entire  length  of  this  river  is  two  hundred  and 
aixty  milesj  fifty  of  which  consist  of  lakes.    Its  most 


*La  HonUri,  p.  Ill,  vol.  1. 


eitreme  northwestern  tributary  is  the  outlet  of 
Lac  Vaseux,  which  unites  with  the  portage  branch, 
after  running  thirty  miles  in  a  southeasterly  direc- 
tion.   This  point  is  called  the  Porks  of  the  river, 
and  is  fifteen  miles  distant  from  the  portage  of  thfe 
OuBconsing.    it  is  a  hundred  and  ninety  miles  from 
thence  to  the  outlfet  of  Winnebago  lake,  in  which 
distance  it  is  swelled  by  the  Menomonie,  Deloup,  and 
several  smaller  streams,  and  eipands  into  a  number 
of  little  lakes,  the  largest  of  which  are  iPuckaway 
and  Du  BoBuH    This  is  the  favourite  region  of  wild 
rice,  and  water  fowl,  and  during  all  this  distance, 
the  river  has  neither  a  fall  or  a  rapid,  but  runs  with 
BO  still  a  current,  that  it  has  scarcely  a  perceptible 
motion.    Neither  are  the  rock  strata  upon  which  the 
soil  is  based,  at  any  spot  visible ;  but  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach,  the  country  presents  a  beautiful  va- 
nety  of  woods  and  prairies-long   sloping   hills, 
which  are  crowned  with  copses  of  oak,  and  exten- 
wve  vallies,  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  the 
wild  rice,  the  scirpus  lucustris,  and  other  aquatir 
plants.     Through  such  a  valley,  the  Fox  river  pur- 
sues Its  broad,  still,  and  devious  course,  and  is  so 
prolific  in  the  various  species  of  water  plants,  that 
often,  where  it  is  a  mile  in  width,  there  is  scarce 
open  space  enough  in  its  centre,  to  allow  the  pas- 
sage  of  a  canoe;   but  it  has  every  where  a  fine 
depth  of  water,  and  is  free  from  stagnation.    Here, 
as  the  nee  begins  to  ripen,  the  various  triberfof  wa- 
ter fowl  instinctively  repair,  to  dispute,  with  the 
savages,  their  claims  to  the  harvest,  and  are  killed 
m  such  numbers,  that  the  fndians,  «rhile  the  season 
lasts,  are  not  put  to  the  trouble  of  hunting  for  any 
other  description  of  animal  food.    The  region  is  al- 


372 


Jio  highly  favourable  to  tlie  innumerable  tribes  0/ 
fresh  Mrater  erustacfle,  reptiles,  and  ampbibioiii 
quadrttpeds.  Among  the  latter,  the  otter,  mink, 
and  muBkrat  are  still  common  1  but  the  beaver  and 
martin,  once  so  numerous,  are  becoming  very  rare. 
The  soil  is  every  where  of  the  most  fertile  kind. 

On  approaching  the  foot  of  Winnebago  lake,  yvt 
perceive  a  ridge  of  highlands  rijinning  parallel  uvUh 
its  eastern  shore,  and  apparently  barricading  the 
passage  of  the  river  in  that  direction,  which,  as  if 
conscious  of  the  obstruction,  first  turns  to  the  norths 
but  gradually  winds  about  to  the  east,  and  south 
east,  and  passing  through  this  ridge  is  bordered 
with  elevated,  and,  in  some  places,  rocky  banks^ 
and  the  channel  is  broken  by  the  Konomee  falls, 
and  by  the  Winnebago,  the  little,  and  grand  Kaka- 
lin,  and  the  Rock  rapids.  The  distance  occupied 
by  these  obstructions,  (from  the  outlet  of  Wiimebago 
lake  to  the  Rock  rapids,)  is  forty  miles,  and  the  na> 
ligation  of  this  part  of  it,  during  the  summer  season, 
is  attended  with  difficulty  and  fatigue. 

This  is  die  section  of  the  river  «*  inclosed  with  a 
steep  coast  and  frightAil  rocks,^^  but  the  latter  pre- 
sent no  ibrmidable  obstacle  to  the  navigation,  during 
the  spring  and  fall  i  and  the  coast,  although  elevated 
two  or  three  hundred  feet,  *s  far  from  being  sterile, 
or  mountainous.  The  soil  is  a  red  loam,  supporting 
a  heavy  forest  of  oak,  pine,  hickory,  and  maple,  and 
interspersed  with  occasional  patches  of  highland 
prairie.  This  part  of  the  rivcfr  has  very  little  wild 
rice,  but  is  abundantly  stored  with  white  and  black 
bass,  carp,  pike,  suckers,  and  other  fish ;  and  is  re- 
sorted to  by  the  Indians  with  a  certain  prospect  of 
fUBtenance,  during  a  part  of  the  year. 


\\ 


t.  V 


873 

Prom  the  Rock  rapid  to  Green  Bay,  a  distance 
of  six  miles,  the  river  flows  with  a  smooth  current- 
is  more  than  a  mile  wide,  and  is  joined,  in  the  inter, 
mediate  distance,  by  two  considerable  streams,  call- 
ed  Devil  and  Duck  rivers,  the  former  of  which  en- 
ters on  the  south  fhore,  directly  opposite  the  site  of 
old  fort  Le  Bay. 

There  is  perhaps  no  stream,  of  secondary 
magnitude,  in  the  northwestern  parts  of  Amer- 
ica, which  affords  so  many  facilities  to  savage 
life,  or  which  actually  supports  so  great  a  sap 
vage  population,  as  Fox  river;  and  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  great  fertility  and  extent  of  its  tillable 
soil—the  rural  beauty  of  the  country—its  advan- 
tageous position  for  commerce,  either  with  the  north 
or  south,  and  its  salubrious  and  delightful  olimate, 
it  will  probably  hereafter,  when  the  Indian  tribes 
yield  before  an  industrious  emigration,  support  one 
of  the  most  compact,  extensive,  and,  valuable  agri- 
cultural settlements  iti  the  Michigan  territory. 

The  junction  of  this  river  with  Green  Bay,  afTords 
one  of  the  mofetjavourable  positions  for  witnessing 
u  phenomenon,  wAicb  has  attracted  the  attention  of 
Iravellers  from  the  earliest  times,  without,  however, 
having,  as  yet,  elicited  any  very  satisfactory  explica- 
tion of  an  apparently  reversed  ordei*  of  nature.  I 
«Uude  to  the  appearances  of  a  regular  tide  at  this 
place,  but  in  so  doing,  it  is  more  with  a  view  of  pre- 
senting an  outline  of  those  facts  which  have  beerj 
obsti-ved  by  others,  than  of  entering  into  any  disqui- 
fition  on  the  subject  myself. 

In  the  year  1689,  the  Baron  La  Hontan,  on  reach- 
ing Green  Bay,"  remarks,  that  where  the  Fox  river 
is  discharged  into  the  bay,  he  observed  the  water 
^  the  lake  eweli  three  fevt  high,  in  the  sjpace  of 


374 

iwent>-fourhour8,ancl  decrease  as  much  in  the  same 
Jength  of  time.  He  also  noticed  a  contrariety,  and 
conviction  of  currents  in  the  narrow  strait  which 
connects  lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  which  ho  says, 
«•  are  so  strong,  that  they  sometimes  sucic  in  the  fish- 
ing nets,  although  they  are  two  or  three  leagues  off. 
In  some  seasons,  if  so  falls  out,  that  the  currents 

run  three  days  eastward-^wo  days  to  the  west 

one,  to  the  south — and  four  to  the  northward  j  some- 
times more,  and  sometimes  less.  The  cause  of  this 
diversity  ot  currents  could  never  be  fathomed,  for 
in  a  calm,  they  will  run  in  the  space  of  one  day,  to 
all  points  of  the  compass,  without  any  limitation  of 
time,  so  that  the  decision  of  this  matter  must  be  left 
to  the  disciples  of  Copernicus.*'* 

fn  1721,  Charlevoix  remarks  similar  appearances, 
but  treats  the  subject  with  unusual  brevity,  evidently, 
from  the  difficulties  which  occurred  to  him,  in  giving 
any  satisfactory  explanation.  He  supposes  lakes  Hu- 
ron and  Michigan  to  be  alternately  discharged  into 
each  other  through  the  strait  ot  Michilimackinac, 
and  mentions  the  fact,  that  in  pa|piftg  that  strait, 
his  canoe  was  carried  with  the*current  against  a 
head  wind.  In  another  place,  in  speaking  of  an  appa- 
rent flux  and  reflux  of  the  lakes,  he  suppose?  that  it 
was  "  owing  to  the  springs  at  the  bottom  of  the  lakes, 
and  to  the  shock  of  their  currents,  with  those  of  the 
rivers,  which  fall  into  them  from  all  sides,  and  thui3 
produce  those  intermitting  motions.t 

In  1819,  Captain  Henry   Whiting,  of  the  United 


*La  Hont«n*8  voyages  to  Canada, 
t  Charlevoix's  Jouraali  vol.  1,  p.  314. 


S7 


States  army,  made  a  series  of  observations  during 

seven  or  eight  days,  upon  these  oceanic  appear- 
ances, which  serve  to  shew,  that  the  water  at  Green 
Bay,  has  a  rise  and  fall  daily,  but  that  it  is  irre- 
gular as  to  the  precise  period  of  flux  and  reflux,  an  J 
also  as  to  the  height  it  attains. 

On  reaching  Green  Bay,  during  the  present  expe- 
dition. Governor  Cass  directed  one  of  the  men,  to 
drive  a  stake  at  the  water's  edge,  upon  the  banks  of 
Fox  river,  at  the  spot  of  our  encampment,  which 
was  a  mile  above  its  discharge  into  the  bay,  arfS  to 
mark  the  height  of  the  water.  It  appeared,  from 
frequently  inspecting  this  gauge,  during  the  period 
of  our  slay,  which  was,  however,  but  two  days,  that 
there  was  a  considerable  rise  and  fall  of  the  water- 
that  there  was  a  diflTerence  as  to  the  time  consumed 
in  passing  from  its  minimum  to  its  maximum  height, 
and  that  although  it  arose  against  a  stroqg  wind  blow- 
ing out  of  the  river,  the  rise,  under  these  circum- 
stances was  lesif  than  in  ordinary  cases. 

From  all  these  circumstances,  there  is  reason  to 
conclude,  that  a  well  conducted  series  of  experi- 
ments, will  prove,  that  there  are  no  regular  tides  in 
the  lakes,  at  least,  that  they  do  not  ebb  and  flow 
twice  in  twenty-four  hours,  like  those  of  the  ocean— 
that  the  oscillating  motion  of  the  waters  is  not  at- 
tributable to  planetary  attraction— that  it  is  very  va- 
riable as  to  the  periods  of  its  flux  and  reflux,  depend- 
ing upon  the  levels  of  the  several  lakes,  their  length, 
depth,  direction,  and  conformation— upon  the  pre- 
valent winds  and  temperatures,  and  upon  other  ex- 
traneous causes,  which  are  in  some  measure  varia- 
ble in  thfiir  nature,  and  unsteady  in  their  operation. 

Lakf  >iichigan,  from  its  great  depth  of  water-* 


r 


V.!. 


m 


its  bleak  and  unguarded  shores— and  its  singular 
length  and  direction,  which  is  about  four  hundred 
miles  from  north  to  souths  appears  to  be  peculiarly 
exposed  to  the  influence  of  the  currents  of  the  at- 
mosphere, to  whose  agencj  we  may  attribute,  at 
least  in  part,  the  appearances  of  a  tide,  which  are 
more  striking  upon  the  shores  oi  this,  than  of  any 
of  the  other  great  lakes.  The  meteorological  ob- 
servations which  have  been  made,  in  the  TransaUe- 
gf^ian  stateSf  indicate  the  winds  to  prevail,  either 
norlh  or  south,  through  the  valley  of  the  Mississip- 
pi ;  but  seldom  across  it,  so  that  the  surface  of  this 
lake,  would  be  constantly  exposed  to  agitation,  from 
the  atmosphere.  These  winds  would  almost  inces- 
santly operate,  to  drive  the  waters  through  the  nar- 
row strait  of  Michilimackinac,  either  into  lake 
Huron  or  lake  Michigan,  until,  by  their  natural  ten- 
dency to  an  equilibrium,  the  waters  thus  pent, 
would  re-act,  aAer  attaining  a  certain  height,  against 
the  current  of  the  most  powerful  winds,  and  thus  keep 
up  an  alternate  flux  and  reflux,  which  would  always 
appear  more  sensibly  in  the  extremities  and  bays  of 
the  two  lakes ;  and  with  something  like  regularity,  afl 
to  the  periods  of  oscillation ;  the  velocity  of  the 
water,  however,  being  governed  by  the  varying  de- 
grees of  the  force  of  the  winds. 

Something  analogous  to  this,  is  peteeived  in  the 
Baltic,  which  has  no  regular  tides,  and  therefore 
experiences  no  difference  of  height^  except  when 
the  wind  blows  violently.  "  At  such  times,**  says 
Pennant,  "•  there  is  a  current  in,  and  out  of  the  Bal- 
tic, according  to  the  points  they  blow  from,  which 
forces  the  water  through  the  sound,  with  the  veloci- 
ty of  two  or  three  Danish  miles  in  the  hour.    When 


377 

the  wind  blows  violently,  from  the  German  sen,  the 
water  rises  in  several  Baltic  harbours,  and  gives 
those  in  the  western  part,  a  temporary  saltness ;  oth- 
erwise, the  Baltic  looses  that  other  property  of  a  sea, 
by  reason  of  the  want  of  tide,  and  the  quantity  of 
vast  rivers  it  receives,  which  sweeten  it  so  much, 
as  to  render  it,  in  many  places,  fit  for  domestic 


use. 


».» 


4B 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


J  O  U  RJVE  Yj 


FROM  OBEEJsr  BAY  TO  CHICAGO. 


t»4 


XCI.  D\\,-^{Jlugust  22rf.) 

On  reaching  Green  Bay,  the  escort  of  soldiers, 
ivhich  had  thus  far  accompanied  us,  and  the  Indians, 
who  were  taken  along  as  hunters,  were  no  longer 
deemed  necessary,  either  to  our  sustenance  or  safety ; 
and  the  former  were  ordered  to  join  their  respect- 
ive companies,^  in  the  garrison,  while  the  latter  were 
furnished  with  a  canoe  and  provisions,  to  proceed, 
at  their  own  convenience,  to  their  homes,  on  the 
eastern  shores  of  Lake  Michigan.  We  here,  also, 
embraced  the  opportunity  of  shipping  to  Detroit, 
our  collections,  in  the  different  departments  of  na- 
tural history,  and  a  part  of  our  personal  baggage, 
&c.  by  the  schooner  Decatur,  which  sailed  from  the 
bay  the  morning  after  our  arrival.  Thus  reduced 
in  numbers,  and  lightened  of  baggage,  the  expedi- 
tion was  still  further  diminished  by  detaching  a  ca- 
noe with  eight  men,  under  the  orders  of  Mr.  Trow- 
bridge, accompanied  by  Mr.  Doty,  and  Mr.  Chase, 
to  proceed  around  the  western  shores  of  Green 
Bay,  to  Michilimackinac;  while  the  remainder  of  the 
party,  still  numbering  two  canoes,  and  sixteen  men, 


379 

coasted  southerly  to  Chicago,  and  thence  around 
the  eastern  shores  of  Lake  Michigan,  to  Michili- 
mackinac. 

We  parted  from  Mr.  Trowbridge,  at  the  mouth  of 
Fox  river,  at  half  past  two  in  the  afternoon,  and 
proceeding  along  the  eastern  shore  of  Green  Bay 
twenty  five  miles,  encamped  on  the  beach  at  twilight. 
The  shore  is  a  fertile  alluvion,  covered  with  sugar 
maple,  elmj  oak,  hemlock,  and  poplar,    The  bay  has 
a  sandy  beach,  and  transparent  waters.      In  a  short 
time  we  were  overtaken  by   the  Indians,  who  had 
recently  constituted  a  part  of  the  expedition,  and 
they  encamped  with  m.    In  the  course  of  the  eve- 
ning, they  endeavoured  to  point  out  to  us  by  moon- 
light, a  rocky  island,  at  three  or  four  miles  distance, 
in  which  there  is  a  large  cavern,  which  has  been 
employed,  by  their  tribes,  from  the  remotest  times, 
as  a  repository  for  the  dead.      They  appeared  to 
regard  the  spot,  as  the  monument  of  a  long  race  of 
heroes,  sages,  and  warriors,  whose  deeds  were  de- 
servedly embalmed  in  the  memories  of  a  grateful 
posterity;   and  spoke  of  it  in  a  manner,  evincing  a 
high  spirit  of  ancestry ;  and,  as  if,  like  the  castJe  of 
Fredolfo,  it  borrowed  all  its  lustre  irom  the  heroes 
whom  it  enshrined. 


*'  It  hath  a  charm  the  stranger  knoweth  not-« 
"  It  is  the  dwelling  of  mine  ancestry  f 
"  There  is  an  inspiration  in  its  shade ; 
"The  echoes  of  its  walls  are  eloquent, 
«  The  words  they  speak,  are  of  the  glorious  dead  ; 
"  Its  tenants  are  not  human— <%  are  more  I 
«  The  stones  have  voices,  and  the  walls  do  live, 
*♦  It  is  the  house  of  memories  dearly  honoured, 
<'  By  many  a  long  trace  of  departed  glory." 

MATiquff. 


^ 


XCIf.  Day.— (August  23^.)— -ft  is  twenty  milet 
from  the  spot  of  our  encampment,  to  Sturgeon  bay, 
which  is  six  miles  wide  and  fifteen  in  length,  narrow* 
ing  gradually  towards  its  head,  where  it  receives  a 
small  stream.  From  this  spot,  there  is  a  portage  of 
three  pauses,  across  the  peninsula,  to  Lake  Michi- 
gan, where  we  arrived  at  an  early  hour  in  the  after- 
noon, but  were  prevented  /rom  embarking,  by  a 
strong  head  wind.  The  shore  of  the  lake  is  alluvi- 
al, with  a  sandy  beach,  strewed  with  fragments  and 
pebbles  of  primitive  and  secondary  rocks,  among 
which  are  fuurd  water  worn  masses  of  greasy,  and 
translucent  quartz,  chalcedony,  petrified  madre- 
pores, &c.  The  forest  trees  are  maple,  beech,  hem- 
lock, &c. 

XCin.  Day. — {August  2ith.) — Following  around 
the  numerous  indentations  of  the  shore,  we  pro- 
gressed, in  a  general  direction  south,  forty  six  miles. 
In  the  course  of  the  day,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  a 
small  river,  flowing  fron\,  the  west,  called  La  Four- 
che.  Among  the  forest  trees,  the  beech  {fagus  fer- 
ruginea)  has  been  conspicuous :  oak,  pine,  poplar, 
birch,  hemlock,  and  maple,  have  also  been  abun- 
dant. The  banks  of  the  lake  are  a  sandy  alluvion, 
reposing  upon  transition  limestone,  which  is  occa- 
sionally seen  in  ledges,  elevated  two  or  three  feet 
above  the  water,  upon  the  prominent  points  of  the 
shore.  Petrifactions,  continue  to  be  found,  lying 
promiscuously  among  fragments  of  granite,  horn- 
blende, sienite,  quartz,  limestone,  ^C; 

XIV.  Day. — (Jugust  25th.) — In  coasting  forty  miles 
along  the  shore,  we  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  large 


381 

stream,  called  Mauitowacky,  where  there  is  a  vil- 
lage of  Menomonie  Indians,  of  six  lodges.  Five 
miles  beyond,  we  encamped  upon  the  beach,  ha- 
ving progressed  fifteen  leagues,  as  indicated  by  a 
lunar  observation.  The  country  consists  of  a  suc- 
cession of  sand  hills,  covered  with  pine.  The 
banks  of  the  lake  are  elevated  from  twenty  to  sixty 
feet,  with  a  broad  sand  beach,  strewed  with  gra- 
nitic and  calcareous  pebbles,  kc.  In  walking  along 
some  parts  of  the  shore,  I  observed  a  great  number 
of  the  skeletons  and  half  consumed  bodies  of  the 
pigeon,  which,  in  crossing  the  lake,  is  oilen  overta- 
ken by  severe  tempests,  and  compelled  to  alight 
upon  the  water,  and  thus  drowned,  in  entire  flocks, 
which  are  soon  thrown  up  along  the  shores.  This 
causes  the  shores  of  Lake  JV^ichigan  to  be  visited  by 
vast  numbers  of  buzzarde,  eagles,  and  other  birds 
of  prey.  The  Indians  also  make  use  of  these  pigeons, 
as  food,  when  they  are  first  driven  ashore,  preserving 
such  in  smoke,  as  they  have  not  immediate  occasion 
for.  Vast  broods  of  young  gulls,  are  also  destroyed 
during  the  violent  storms,  which  frequently  agitate 
this  lake. 


XCV.  DkY.-^(jiugust  26/A)— Progressed  forty- 
three  miles,  and  encamped,  some  time  after  dark, 
at  the  mouth  of  Milwacky  river.  This  is  a  stream 
of  sixty  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  is  ascended  a 
hundred  miles  in  canoes,  being  connected  by  a 
short  portage,  with  the  Rock  river  of  the  Mississip- 
pi : — a  route  frequently  travelled  in  canoes,  by  the 
Pottowatomies  and  Menomonies.  There  are  two 
American  families,  and  a  village  of  Pottowatomies, 
at  its  ^outh.     It  is  the  division  line  between  the 


389 


lands  of  the  Menomonies  and  Pottovratoinies  j   th« 
latter  claim  all  south  of  it. 

XCVI.  DAY.~(Mgutt27th.)-^\  head  wind  detain- 
cd  us  a  considerable  part  of  the  day,  but  we  ad- 
vanced thirtj^-five  miles,  passing,  in  that  distance, 
the  Sac  and  Skeboigon  rivers.      Five  miles  south  of 
the  Alii  wacky,  there  is  found  a  bed  of  white  clay 
upon  the  shore  of  the  lake;    and  a  short  ilisiance 
back,  in  a  prairie,  a  vein  of  red  oxide  of  iron,  !  oth 
of  which  substances,  are  much  employe)  by  the  In- 
dians, as  paints.      Fifteen  miles  further  douth,  com- 
mences a  range  of  high  clay  bluffs,  covered   with 
sand,  on  the  verge  of  the  lake,  which  extend,  with 
occasional  depressions,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.     At 
the  foot  of  this,  at,  the  water's  edge,  there  is  a  large 
body  of  pyrites,  of  a   brass  yellow  colour— great 
weight,  and  crystallized  in  a  variety  of  regular  forms, 
the  most  common  of  which  is  a  cube,  truncated  at 
the  angles.     Some  of  these  crystals  are  six  or  eight 
pounds  in  weight,  with  an  imposing  metallic  lustre. 
They  occur  in  beds  in  a  tenacious  blue  clay,  from 
which  they  are  washed  by  the  waves,  and  left  in 
promiscuous  piles  along  the  shore,  where,  being  ex- 
posed to  attrition,  their  crystalline  forms  are  gradu- 
ally obliterated,  and  they  assume,  at  last,  the  shape 
of  spheroidal  and  globular  pebbles,  parting,  also,  in 
the  course  of  this  pr*:  ■  >ss,  with  their  natural  exter- 
nal lustre.     It  is  only  *h     '  v  Uses,  w'  Jc'.  are  newly 
exposed,  that  prese    ,  v  ,ae.  the  deceptive  glare  of 
polished  brass,  those  beautiful  geometrical  solids, 
which  sulphur,  in  its  various  associations  and  com- 
binations, in  the  mineral  kingdom,  so  frequently 
assumes.      At  the  spot  of  our  encampment,  thirty- 


five  miles  south  of  IVlilwackjr,  I  found  a  singular  li- 
quid mineral,  resembling  aspbaltum,  contained  in 
cavities  in  a  calcareous  rock.  Where  it  had  suffer- 
ed a  natural  exposure  to  the  weather,  it  had  the 
colour  and  consistence  of  dried  tar,  but  on  obtain- 
ing a  fresh  fracture,  it  was  so  liquid  as  to  flow  from 
the  cavities,  and  presented  an  olive  brown  colour, 
inclining  to  black. 

XCVII.  DKY.-'^Jiugutt  28/A.)— Proceeded  forty 
miles.  The  shore,  during  this  distance,  is  princi- 
pallj  prairie,  upon  which  the  oak  tree  predom- 
inates. In  some  instances,  there  are  hillocks  of 
sand,  either  wholly  destitute  of  Vegetation,  or  cap- 
ped with  scattering  pines.  Among  the  detached 
rocks  of  the  shore,  are  found,  calcareous  spar,  crys- 
tallized quartz,  cacholong,  jasper,  toadstone,  &c. 

XCVIII.  Day.— (.^«gtt*/ 29/A).— We  reached  Chi- 
cago at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  after  proceeding 
ten  miles.  The  village  consists  of  ten  or  twelve 
dwelling  houses,  with  an  aggregate  population,  of 
probably,  sixty  souls.  The  garrison  stands  on  the 
south  shore  of  Chicago  creek,  four  or  five  hundred 
yards  from  its  entrance  into  the  lake,  and,  like  the 
majority  of  our  frontict*  posts,  consists  of  a  square 
stockade,  inclosing  barracks,  quarters  for  the  offi- 
cers, a  magazine,  provision  store,  &c.  and  defend- 
ed by  bastions  at  the  northwest,  and  southeast  an- 
gles. It  is  at  present  occupied  by  a  hundred  and 
sixty  men,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Brad- 
ley. 

The  village  of  Chicago  is  situated  in  the  state  of 
llUnoiS)  the  nf^rthero  boundary  line  of  which,  com- 


384 

mences,  on  the  lake  shore,  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  the  fort,  and  running  due  west,  strikes 
the  Miseissippi  between  Dubuque^s  lead  mines,  and 
Prairie  du  Cbfcn.  It  is  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  miles,  from  Chicago  to  Groen  Bay,  by  the  ^ay 
of  the  lakes,  and  the  portage  of  Sturgeon  bay— and 
four  hundrerl  to  the  island  of  Minhilimackinac. 

Chicago  creek  ie  eighty  yards  wide,  at  the  garri- 
son, and  he  3  a  bar  at  its  mouth,  which  prevents 
shipping  from  entering,  but  is  deep  within.  It  is  as- 
cended eleven  miles  in  boats,  and  barges,  where 
there  is  a  portage  of  seven  miles  across  a  prairie, 
to  the  river  Plein,  the  main  northwestern  fork  of 
the  Illinois. 

The  intervening  country  consists  of  different  stra- 
ta of  marl  and  clay,  presenting  great  facilities  for 
canal  excavation,  and  the  difference  in  the  level  of 
the  two  btrcams  is  so  little,  that  loaded  boats  of 
a  pmnU  class,  may  pass  ever  the  lowest  parts  of  the 
prniri;*-,  during  the  spring,  and  autumnal  freshets. — 
But  at  mid-summer,  it  is  necessary  to  transport  them 
over  land,  to  mount  Juliet,  a  distance  of  thirty 
miles.  From  thence  the  navigation  is  good,  at  all 
seasons,  to  St.  Louis,  a  distance  of  four  hundred 
miles. 


XCIX.  Day. — (jiugust  30th.) — Thecountry  around 
Chicago  is  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful  that  can 
be  imagined.  It  consists  of  an  intermixture  of  woods 
and  prairies,  diversified  with  gentle  slopes,  some- 
times attaining  the  elevation  of  hills,  and  irrigated 
with  a  number  of  clear  streams  and  rivers,  which 
throw  their  waters  partly  into  lake  Michigan,  and 
partly  into  the  Mississippi  river.     As  a  farming 


3H5 

country,  it  unites  the  fertile  8oH,  of  the  finest  W^ 
land  t)rairie8,  with  an  elevation,  which  exempts  it 
trom  the  influence  of  stagnant  waters,  and  a  sum- 
mer dirnatc  of  delightful  serenity;  while  its  natural 

me«dowspre8entalltheadvantage8torr.-ising8tock,of 
the  mosttavourcd  part  of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi. 
It  IS  already  the  seat  of  several  flourishing  planta- 
tions,  afKl  only  requires  the  extinguishment  of  the 
Indian  title  to  the  lands,  to  become  one  of  the  most 
attractive  fields  for  the  emigrant.    To  the  ordinary 
advantages  of  an  agricultural  market  town,  it  ihust, 
hereafter,  add  that  of  a  depot,  for  the  inland  com- 
merce,  between  the  northern  and  southern  sections 
of  the  union,  and  a  great  thoroughfare  for  stran- 
gers, merchants,  and  travellers. 

There  is  a  valuable  and  extensive  bed  of  mineral 
coal,  about  forty  miles  southwest  of  Chicago,   on 
the  Fox  river  of  tlie  Illinois,  near  the  point  of  its 
embouchure.    The  stratum  of  coal,  which  appears 
on  the  banks  of  the  river,  is  said  to  have  an  exten- 
sive  range  towards  the  northwest,  and  is  only  cov- 
ered  by  a  Ught  deposit  ol  alluvial  soil,  of  a  few  feet 
in  thickness.      I'iiere  is  also,  about  twentv  miles 
north  of  Chicago,  a  bed  of  red  oxide  of  iron,  in  a 
state  of  great  purity,  and  its  preparation  as  a  pig. 
ment,  may  be  expected  to  result  from  the  influx  of 
emigrants.     Pyrites,  are  also  very  common  in  this 
vicinity,  yet,  it  is  a  singular  tact,  that  the  bricks  at 
Chicago,  which  arc  manufactured  from  the  earth 
taken  up  on  the  banks  of  the  creek,  bum  white,  like' 
the  Stourbridge  fire-bricks,  indicating,  as  I  am  led 
to  conclude,  an  absence  of  iron,  in  any  of  its  nu- 
merous  forms  of  combination,  at  least,  in  the  usual 

49 


386 


d«g<««<  All  our  common  clays  l^ura  with  some 
tint,  however  light,  of  red,  which  has  been  referred, 
bj  ohsmical  writers,  with  much  precision,  to  the 
presence  of  oxid  of  iron. 

There  is  said  to  be  a  petrified  hickory  tree  in  the 
bed  of  the  river  Kankakee,  near  its  junction  with 
(he  Illinois,  fortj-five  miled  by  land,  and  sixty  by 
the  course  of  the  river,  from  Chicago.  It  is  entire, 
and  partly  imbedded  in  the  calcareous  rock,  forming 
the  bed  of  the  Kankakee. 

The  open  nature  of  the  country  around  Chicago, 
exposes  it  to  piercing  winds  during  the  winter 
months,  although  the  same  cause,  contributes  to 
render  it  a  deli|;htfiil  residence  during  the  summer 
season.  The  Ibllowing  is  an  abstract  of  a  meteo- 
rological register,  kept  by  Doctor  Wolcott,  at  Chi- 
cago* during  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  year. 


Jitmoipherie  Heat, 


Atcngt  Tempcntturc. 

1820.  at  9  a.m. 
Jan.  14* 

Feb.  2Sf* 


Av.  Temp. 

at  2  p.  m. 
Itf* 

32* 

Wiwk, 


Av.  Temp. 

at  9  p.  m* 
14- 

30* 
25** 


Jan.  w.  8  dtyf ,  w.  n.  vr.  o,  w.  b.  w.  10,  n.  n.  b.  6,  s.  m.  s.  2. 

Feb.         B.  7,——  a.  w.  7i  w.  5,  s.  2,  >.b.  2,w.s.  w.S,  b.ii.b.  3. 

Mir.  (to  15)  N.  N.  X9,  S,  m.  M.  B.  4,  M.  N.  B.  2,  M.  B.  2,  9.  W.  2.  M.  W.  2. 

Jan.  cloudy    6,-HBnow  storms  6, — clear  19. 

Feb.  cloudy    8r~  ^ain  4»-*«lear  17. 

MV.(to]5)cIoudy  lOr-  clear  4. 


387 

The  ice  in  the  lake  was  fourteen  inches  in  thick* 
ness,  on  the  Ist  of  Januarj,  and  eighteen  and  three- 
fourths,  (its  greatest  thickness,  during  the  whiter ;) 
on  the  second  of  February.  The  greatest  depth  of 
snow  was  twentj-two  inches,  on  the  thirty-first 
of  January.  The  thermometer  stood  at  0  on 
the  first  and  nineteenth  of  January.  The  highest 
degree  of  heat  during  that  month  was  39'.— In  Feb- 
ruary, the  highest  heat  was  69'— in  March,  42». 


i  J 


i^%.;r 


CHAPTER  XV. 


J  O  U  RJV  E  Y, 


FROM  cmCAGO,  THROUGH  LAKE  MICHIOAjy,  70 
MtCHZLIMiCriJ^rAC. 


»«f« 


C.  Day.— (^i^g^;  31**.) 

Governor  CASS  here  determined  to  proceed  on 
horseback,  across  the  peninsula  of  Michigan,  follow- 
ing the  Indian  trail,  to  Detroit;  and  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Kinsey,  of  Chicago,  Major  Forsyth,  and 
Lieutenant  Mackay  of  the  expedition,  and  one  or 
two  attendants,  left  Chicago  at  one  o^clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon* taking  the  beach  road  to  the  river  Du 
Schmein,  where  the  path  leaves  the  lake.  In  the 
mean  time,  Captain  Douglass  and  myself,  were  left 
to  complete  the  topographical  and  geological  sur- 
vey of  Lake  Michigan,  and  joining  our  compan- 
ions, who  were  detached  from  Green  Bay  on  the 
twenty-second  of  August,  at  Michilimackinac,  to 
proceed  to  Detroit  with  all  practicable  despatch.— 
We  were  ready  to  embark  at  half  past  two  in  the 
afternoon,  and  bidding  adieu  to  Doctor  Wolcott, 
who,  being  a  resident  of  Chicago,  here  left  the  ex- 
pedition ;  we  proceeded,  with  a  fair  wind^  twenty 


fM^/h-mm'',- :  iii»>l,'WWHIi,' 


•11' 


389 

miles  south-southeast,  and  encamped  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake.  At  the  distance  of  eleven  miles  from 
Chicago,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  river  Little 
Konomick,  which  is  a  strea  i  of  about  forty  miles 
in  length,  flowing  in,  by  a  deep  and  narrow  channel, 
from  the  south.  The  shore  of  the  /kke,  during  this 
distance,  is  the  sandy  margin  of  a  prairie,  without 
hills.  In  one  instance  only,  do  any  rock  strata  appear, 
and  then  merely  at  a  point,  not  elevated  more  than 
four  or  five  inches  above  the  walsr.  They  are  cal- 
careous. 

CI.  l>AY.-^{Sepiember    l^/.)— Detained  by    head 
winds.   In  passing  along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  (yes- 
terday) at  the  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
Chicago,  the  scene  of  the  massacre  of  the  garri- 
son, stationed  at  that  place,  during  the  late  war, 
was  pointed  out  to  us.    This  took  place  on  the  fif- 
teenth of  August,  1812,  the  day  after  the  surrender 
of  General  Hull,  at  Detroit.    At  this  eventful  peri- 
od of  the  war,  gloom  hung  upon  every  part  of  our 
extensive  northwestern  frontiers.  The  town  of  Mich- 
ilimackinac  had  already  been  carried  by  surprise ; 
and  the  retrograde  movements  of  the  American  ar- 
my, served  to  flatter  the  most  sanguine  hopes  of  In- 
dian animosity— while  the  recollection  of  their  re- 
cent defeat  at  Tippacanoe— their  ancient  prejudi- 
ces—and above  all,  their  British  allies,  were  every 
day  adding  to  th^ir  infuriated  bands— which,  rising 
from  the  north,  the  east,  and  the  south,  now  hung 
like  a  gathering  tempest  over  the  land,  every  mo- 
ment increasing  in  its  gloom,  and  threatening  rapine 
and  destruction,  to  our  unfortified  frontiers.     In  this 
exigency  of  the  times,  while  it  appeared  yet  prac- 


;  : 


i 


^0 


I 


.    i 

[ 

-I 

4 

\ 


tioable  to  escape,  CapL  Heald,  commanding  the  gar- 
rison at  Chicago,  received  orders  from  Gov.  Hull  to 
evacuate  the  fort,  which  it  would  be  impossible  to  suc> 
cour,  in  case  of  an  Indian  attack ;  and  to  proceed  with 
his  command,  by  land,  to  Detroit  This  order  was 
received  on  the  ninth  of  August,  and  had  it  been 
promptly  obeyed,  it  is  probable  that  the  fate  of  the 
garrison  would  have  been  averted,  as  the  Indians 
had  not  yet  appeared  in  force ;  but  owing  to  an  in- 
fatuation, which  it  is  difficult  to  explain,  eight  days 
were  allowed  to  elapse,  before  the  order  was  exe- 
cuted, during  which  time,  the  Indians  had  collected 
around  the  garrison  to  the  number  of  four  or  five 
hundred,  and  by  killing  the  cattle,  and  other  out- 
rageous acts,  shewed  a  determined  hostility,  al- 
though they  had  hot  yet  menaced  the  garrison.  On 
the  thirteenth.  Captain  Wells  arrived  from  fort 
Wayne,  with  thirty  friendly  Miamies,  to  escort  the 
garrison  to  Detroit,  by  the  request  of  General  Hull. 
Still,  two  days  were  suffered  to  pass,  before  the  gar- 
rison was  evacuated,  owing  to  a  fatal  security  in 
which  the  commandant  indulged,  in  regard  to  the 
dispositions  of  the  Indians — ^but  in  which  his  sub- 
alterns, and  the  inhabitants,  did  not  coincide.  At 
length,  on  the  fifteenth,  having  distributed  among 
the  Indians  all  the  goods  remaining  in  the  factory 
store,  with  a  quantity  of  provisions;  and  destroyed 
the  arms  and  ammunition,  which  could  not  be  taken 
away.  Captain  Heald  marched  oAt  of  the  garrison, 
at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  following  along  the 
sandy  beach  of  the  lake,  which  is  the  usual  route 
to  fort  Wayne  and  Detroit  The  garrison  now  con- 
sisted of  fifty-four  regulars,  and  twelve  militia,  ex- 
clusive of  the  officers,  and  the  friendly  Miamies, 


301 

under  Captain  Wells.    They  were  accompanied  by 
•everal  baggage  waggons,  containing  provisions  and 
ammunition,  and  eighteen  women  and  children;  the 
|?hole  force  comprismg  the  entire  population,  both 
civil  and  military  of  Chicago.    The  face  of  the  coun- 
try is  such,  that  it  is  necessary  to  tiravel  along  the 
sandy  shore  of  the  lake,  with  sand  banks  on  the  right, 
at  the  distance  of  from  one  to  two  hundred  yards, 
and  elevated  to  such  a  height^  that  the  country  back 
of  it,  is  completely  hid  from  the  view.    They  had 
not  proceeded  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half,  when  it 
was  perceived  that  a  large  body  of  Indians  were 
lying   in   ambush   behind  these    sand  hills,   and 
they    soon    encompassed  them,— the  broad    lake 
extending    on    the    left       This    discovery    was 
scarcely    made,    when    the  Indians  set  up    their 
horrid  yell,  and  poured  down  a  warm  fire  in  all  di* 
rections.     Several  men  fell  at  the  first  shot,  but 
Captain  Heald  formed  his  men  with  deliberation, 
and  after  firing  one  round,  ordered  a  charge,  and 
ascended  the  bank,  after  sustaining  a  severe  loss.-^ 
The  Indians  in  front,  fled  to  the  right  and  left,  join* 
ing  a  deadly  fire  which  was  kept  up  from  the  flanks, 
and  which  it  was  in  vain  to  resist  In  a  few  moments, 
out  of  sixty-six  soldiers,  only  sixteen  were  alive.— 
Captain  Heald  succeeded,  however,  in  drawing  off 
these,  to  an  eminence  in  the  open  prairie,   oul 
of  reach  of  their  shot.     They  did  not  follow  him 
out,  but  gathering  upon  the  bank,  began  a  consulta- 
tion, and  made  signs  for  him  to  approach.    He  waa 
met  by  a  Pottowatomie  chief,  called  the  Black  Bird, 
to  whom  he  surrendered  himself,  with   his  Lieut 
(Helm)  and  sixteen  men,  under  a  promise  that  their 
lives  should  be  spared ;    but  they  were  afterwards 
butchered,  from  time  to  time,  with  the  exception  of 


'tU 


I  i 


,  ! 


'  i 


}• 


392 


Captain  Heald,  and  three  or  four  men.  Among  the 
killed,  were  Ensign  Ronan,  Poctor  Voorhig,  and 
Captain  Wells.  The  latter  had  his  heart  cut  out, 
and  otlier  ehocking  barbarities  committed  upon  his 
body,  having  rendered  himself  particularly  obnox- 
ious to  the  Indians,  by  his  influence  among  those 
savage  tribes,  who  remained  friendly  to  the  United 
{States.  In  the  course  of  the  action,  a  party  of  In- 
dians, raising  their  furious  yeUst  rushed  upon  the 
baggage  waggons,  w  here  the^omQn,«nd  children  had 
taken  shelter,  and  commenced  a  scene  of  plun- 
der and  massacre,  which  jj:  would  be  impossible  to 
describe.  Of  eighteen  womep  and  children,  twelve 
were  killed  upon  the  spot.  Several  of  the  women, 
(soldiers'  wives)  iought  with  swords. 

During  the  aqtion,  a  sergeant  of  infantry,  who 
had  already  manifested  the  greatest  bravery,  was  op- 
posed in  personal  combat  with  an  Indian.  Bothhadal- 
ready  discharged  their  pieces,  when  the  sergeant  saw 
the  Indian  xunning  up  to  him  with  a  lifted  tomahawk, 
but  before  the  blow  fell,  ran  his  bayonet  in  the  In- 
dian's breast  up  to  the  socket,  so  that  he  could  net 
pull  it  out;  yet,  in  this  situation,  the  Indian  toma- 
hawked him,  and  they  both  fell  dead  tc-'^or.* — 
The  Miamies  took  no  part  in  this  mascc^vCic 
executed  by  the  Pottowatomie  tribe.  Thef  / 
are  taken  from  the  description  given  by  an  eyv_ 


*  A  similar  instance  of  courage  is  mentioned  to  have  occurred 
in  the  battle  ofOriskany,  during  the  revolutionary  war.  "  There 
was  found  an  Indian  and  a  white  man,  both  born  on  the  banks  of 
the  Mohawk,  their  left  hands  clenched  in  each  other's  hair,  the 
right  grasping  in  a  gripe  of  death,  the  knife  plunged  in  each  oth- 
er's bosom.  Thus  lliey  lay  frowning." — Governeur  Moms'  Dis 
tvtverse  If/ore  tlu  New-York  llistoricai  Society,  1812. 


393 

new,  Mr.  Kinsey  of  Chicago,  and  from  Captain 
Heald^s  official  report.* 

OIL  DAr.-.{September  2(/.)— The  wind  ceased  in 
the  course  of  the  night,  and  we  embarked  at  ear- 
ly day  light.    On  proceeding  twelve  miles,  we  pass- 
ed the  grand  Konomick,  the  mouth  of  which  is 
choaked  up  with  sand,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
country,  in  the  vicinity,  is  very  barren,  and  uninvi- 
ting.   Twenty  miles  beyond,  we  passed  the  mouth 
of  the  river  du  Chemin,  (river  of  the  Road.;  Here 
the  path  from  Chicago  to  Detroit,  by  land,  leads  out 
into  the  prairies.  The  distance  to  Detroit,  is  compu- 
ted  to  be  three  hundred  miles.  There  is  a  plain  horse 
path,  which  is  considerably  travelled  by  traders, 
hunters,  and  others.    It  is,  however,  intersected  by 
innumerable  cross  paths,  leading  to  ditTerent  Indian 
villages  and  settlements,  so  that  it  could  not  be  pur- 
sued by  a  stranger,  without  a  guide.    The  country 
is  said  to  be  handsomely  diversified  with  prairies, 
woods,  hills,  and  streams,  and  furnishes  every  facil- 
ity for  waggon  roads,  settlements,  water-mills,  &c.— 
In  the  spring  and  fell,  some  danger  is  to  be  appre- 
hended in  crossing  several  of  the  streams,  but  there 
are  none  which  may  not  be  safely  forded  at  midsum- 
mer. 

At  a  point  intermediate,  between  the  grand  Ko- 
nomick, and  the  river  du  Chemin,  we  ppTsed  the  spot, 
on  the  beach  of  the  lake,  where  the  schooner  Her- 
cules, was  wrecked  in  the  fell  of  1816,  and  all  on 
board  perished.  The  mast,  pump,  and  some  frag- 
ments of  spars,  scattered  along  the  shore,  still  serve 

*  S«e  Fay's  BaUles,  p.  65. 
50 


I 
I 


i 


.,  . 


SH 


to  mark  the  spot^  and  to  convey  some  idea  of  the 
dreadful  storms  which  at  certain  seasons  agitate  this 
lake.     The  vojagcurs  also  pointed  out  to  us,  th(^ 
graves  of  those  who  perished,  who  appear  to  have 
been  buried  at  different   places,  along  the  shore, 
where  they  happened  to  be  washed  up.    Among 
these,  was  Lieutenant  William  S.  Evileth,  an  intelli- 
gent and  promising  young  officer  of  engineers,  whose 
death  has  been  much  lamented.      He  had  been  em- 
ployed in  the  rc-building  of  the  military  works  at 
Chicago,  which  were  burnt  down  by  the  Pottowato- 
mies,  during  the  late  war,  after  the  massacre  of  the 
garrison ;  and  had  embarked  the  day  previous  to  the 
shipwreck,  at  Chicago,  to  return  to  his  friends,  after 
a  summer  spent  in  arduous  and  uselul  service.    It 
was  late  in  November,  when  the  navigation  is  at* 
tended  with  so  much  peril ;  and  the  first  intelligence 
of  the  fatal  catastrophe,  was  communicated  by  find- 
ing the  wreck  of  the  vessel,  and  the  bodies  of  the 
passengers,  strewed  along  the  shore.     Several  days 
had   however  elapsed  before  this  discovtery  was 
made,  and  the  bodies  were  so  beat  and  bruised   by 
the  spars  of  the  wreck,  that  the  deceased  could  not 
be  recognised  by  their  features.     The  wolves  had 
gnawed  the  face  of  Lieutenant  Evileth  in  so  shock- 
ing a  manner,  that  he  could  not  have  been  recogni- 
sed had  it  not  been  for  the  military  buttons  of  his 
elothes.    His  gravejs  situated  beneath  a  cluste.  of 
small  pines,  on  the  declivity  of  a  sand  bank,  and  is 
marked  by  a  blazed  sapling.  His  memory  would  ap 
pear  to  deserve  some  tribute  of  respect,  more  grateful 
to  the  feelings  of  humanity,  from  tl^ose  with  whom 
he  was  formerly  associated;    and  perhaps  this  sug- 


395 

gestion  has  not  occurred  to  the  officers,  stationed  at 
the  neighbouring  garrison.  , 

The  little  rirer  dn  Oalien,  enters  the  lake  ten 
miles  beyond  the  river  du  Chemin,  by  a  mouth 
nearly  closed  with  drifting  sands.  We  encamped 
on  the  beach  twelre  miles  beyond  it,  having  pro- 
gressed altogether  a  distance  of  fifty-four  miles. 


iiJ.V 


fJtl»V^^, 


cm.  Day. — {September  3</.)-i-We  reached  the  riv- 
er St.  Joseph,  in  travelling  fourteen  miles.  This  is 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  streams  which 
flows  into  the  lake  on  its  eastern  inliore.  It  is  as- 
cended one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  in  canoes, 
and  is  connected  by  a  short  portage,  with  a  river  of 
the  tame  name^  which  runs  into  the  Miami  of  the 
Lake,  near  fort  Wayne^a  route  which  is  frequently 
travelled  by  the  Indians.  This  stream  was  former- 
ly the  seat  of  a  French  fort,  knd  missionary  family, 
and  continued  for  many  years  to  be  one  of  the  most 
important  places  in  the  region.  H  is  particularly 
described  by  Charlevoix,  Hennepin,  and  other  ear- 
ly French  travellers  and  missionaries.  The  lands 
upon  its  banks  are  represented  to  be  rich  and  beau- 
tiful, and  heavily  timbered  with  black  walnut,  oak, 
maple,  and  elm ;  but  its  mouth  is  skirted  by  sand 
hills,  of  the  most  sterile  appearance,  and  support- 
ing nothing  but  pines  and  poplars.  There  is  found, 
towards  the  sources  of  this  river,  a  variety  of  sin- 
gular petrifactions,  which  may  be  referred  to  the  ge- 
nus of  Phytolites.  They  consist  chiefly,  of  the  leaves, 
branches,  and  roots  of  trees,  mineralized  by  the 
calcareous  earth,  which  appears  to  be  held  in  solu- 
tion by  one  of  the  higher  tributaries  of  the  St.  Jo- 


396 

-• 

«eph,  in  the  bed  of  which  these  organic  reliqua  are 
found.%. 

It  is  twentjr.four  miles  from  the  St.  Joseph,  to  the 
Blackwater  river,  which  is  a  stream  of  sixty  miles 
in  length,  and  is  ascended  in  canoes  nearly  to  its 
source.  Like  all  the  streams  which  enter  on  this 
side  of  the  lake,  its  mouth  is  almost  closed  with 
yellow  sands.  In  the  intermediate  distance  between 
St.  Joseph^s  and  the  Blackwater,  I  found  along  the 
shore,  a  number  of  specimens  of  chalcedony,  com- 
mon jasper,  quartz,  and  some  madrepores,  and  oth- 
er organic  relics.  We  encamped  twelve  miles  be- 
yond the  latter,  upon  the  sandy  "hore,  having  pro- 
ceeded fifty  miles. 

CIV.  Day.— (S<!p/«m6er  4/A.)— On  travelling  ten 
miles,  wc  passed  the  river  Kikalemazo,  which  appears 
from  its  mouth,  to  be  a  stream  of  considerable  size. 
Along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  between  this  stream  and 
the  Blackwater,  the  ludus  helmontii,t  is  very  abun- 
dant. 

*  These  vegetable  petrifactions  were  discovered  by  Governor 
Cass,  in  his  tour  arross  the  peninsula  of  Michig^an,  from  Chicago 
to  Detroit ;  and  I  am  indelbted  to  the  zeal,  which  he  uniformly 
manifested  during  the  expedition,  to  promote  the  cause  of  sci- 
ence, for  the  very  interesting  specimens  I  possess  from  this  locali- 
ty;  and  which  were  conveyed  nearly  two  hundred  miles  on  horse* 
t«ck,  through  the  woods. 

f  t^This  name  is  given  to  orbicular  masses  of  calcareous  marl, 
usually  from  one  to  eighteen  inches  diameter,  whose  interior  pre- 
sents numerous  fissures  or  seams,  which  divide  the  mass  into  ir- 
regular prisms.  These  fissures  are  usually  lined  or  filled  by  some 
erystallized  substance,  as  cuicareous  spar  or  quartz,  which  have 
undoubtedly  entered  by  filtration.  These  masses  are  usually  found 

In  beds  of  marl." 

CUaveUmd't  Mmtralogn, 


397 


Ei^ht  miles  beyond  the  Kikalemazo,  there  is  a 
river  of  secondary  size,  called  Black  river  or  Iro- 
quois chiefly  noted  for  the  ginseng,  which  is  abun- 
dantly found  upon  its  banks.  Thence,  it  is  seven 
leagues  to  Grand  river,  which  is  next  in  point  of 
size,  and  importance,  to  the  St.  Joseph.  This 
stream  is  said  to  afford  one  of  the  finest  tracts  of 
farming  land  ii.  the  Michigan  territory.  It  forms  the 
boundary  line  between  the  territories  of  the  Potlo- 
watomie  and  Otto  way  tribes ;  and  is  at  present  the 
residence  of  a  numerous  savage  population.  A  bed 
of  gypsum,  of  a  fine  quality  for  agricultural  purpo- 
ses, has  recently  been  discovered  upon  the  naviga- 
ble waters  of  this  stream. 

The  next  stream  of  considerable  size  h  the  Mas- 
kagon,  which  enters  the  lake  twelve  miles  from 
Grand  river,  at  the  mouth  of  which  we  encamped, 
at  eight  o'clock,  having  advanced,  during  the  day, 
»  distance  of  fifty.four  miles.  The  margin  of  the 
lake  presents  a  dreary  prospect  of  sand  banks,  cov- 
ered with  pine  and  poplar.  The  shore  is  sandy, 
with  occasional  banks  of  pebbles ;  but  no  rock  stra- 
ta appear  in  situ.  The  only  birds,  seen  along 
this  part  of  the  coast,  are  the  gull,  and  the  crow.— 
We  passed,  at  a  short  distance  from  Grand  river,  a 
number  of  spars,  and  pieces  of  timber,  belonging 
to  the  wreck  of  an  English  vessel,  cast  away  several 
years  ago  on  this  part  of  the  coast. 

We  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  the  Maskagon  at 
twilight,  and  had  a  few  moments  to  examine  the 
singular  appearances  of  this  part  of  the  coast,  which 
consists  of  conical  hills  of  loose  sand,  that  are 
changing  their  forms  and  position  during  every  gale 
of  wind;  and  in  eome  places,  present  a  few  poplars. 


♦ 


tai 


398 


1 1 


fl 


pin^s,  or  hemlocks.  In  a  few  moments  after  land- 
ing, one  of  the  men,  who  had  been  sent  out  to  pro- 
cure wood,  returned,  bringing  with  him  two  singular 
productions,  which  he  denominated  sand  horns. — 
JThej  were  found  attached  to  the  lower  part  of  a 
dead  poplar  (populus  tremuloides)  standing  upon  the 
summit  of  one  of  those  conical  hills  of  naked  sand, 
which  characterize  the  mouth  of  the  Muskagon; 
and  in  cutting  down  the  tree,  fell  off.  On  examin- 
ing the  tree,  I  found  several  smaller  productions  of 
the  same  kind,  attached  to  the  bark,  in  the  manner, 
and  in  the  form  of  common  fungi.  The  sand  horns 
are  a  foot  in  length,  branching  out  in  various  forms, 
like  the  corals  of  the  ocean,  having  the  granular 
structure,  of  grey  satid  stone  rock,  with  the  or- 
ganic external  form  of  the  club-fungus.  (See  the 
plr.te.)  There  is  no  appearance,  however,  of  a 
stipe  or  stem  in  breaking  off  one  of  the  branches, 
nor  are  there  any  indications  of  a  nucleus  at  the 
point  oi  attachment  to  the  tree.  In  hardness,  it  is 
intermediate  between  a  porous  sand  stone,  and  cer- 
tain steatites;  and  I  have  observed  during  wet 
weather,  that  it  acquires  a  certain  degree  of  flexi- 
bility. Muriatic  acid  has  no  action  upon  it,  either 
in  the  concentrated  or  diluted  form,  but  there  is  an 
effervescence  in  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  and  a  part 
of  the  powder  b  held  in  solution,  forming  a  kind  of 
jelly,  while  the  pure  grains  of  silicious  sand,  are 
precipitated  to  the  bottom  of  the  glass,  in  the  com- 
mon form.  These  circumstances  indicate  a  combi- 
nation of  vegetable  and  mineral  matter,  not  exactly 
in  the  form  of  a  common  petrifaction,  but  somewhat 
analogous ;  and  will  authorize  us  in  classing  them 
among  those  organic  remains,  whose  prototype  ie 


?'/■  I 


•f' 


jauLTji  vur. 


.Vr(  n 


a  part 
^ind  of 

; 

id,  are 

e  com- 

combi- 
Dxactly 

aewhat 
r  them 

type  ie 

i 

p-  ■ 

TPUTifonpia, 


AI.BAKY,  ruUlilKHKIJ     KY     H  *  E  HOSrOB-D     13111. 


lfi:,!^T-    ^miify-»r- 


■-r 


taken  from  the  vegetable  kingdom.  These  consti- 
tute the  genus  Phjtolite,  in  Martinis  Systema  Reli- 
quioruin,  under  which,  the  present  discovery  will 
furnish  the  occasion  of  erecting  a  new  species,  that 
shall  embrace  petrifactions,  of  the  various  species  of 
the  botanical  order  Fungi. 


CV.  DAY.-^(Sep(ember  5th.)— \t  is  twelve  miles 
from  the  Maskagon  to  White  river— t»>en  thii  iy-one 
to  the  Pcntwater,  or  Black  river,  with  an  Indian 
village  in  the  intermediate  space ;  and  nine  more  to 
the  river  Marquette,  which  takes  its  name  from  one  of 
the  most  enterprising  of  the  Catholic  missionaries, 
who,  during  the  early  settlement  of  Canada,  devoted 
themselves,  in  so  extraordinary  a  manner,  to  the 
reformation  of  the  savage  tribes.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  discoverers  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  founder 
of  Michilimackinac. 

**  Father  Joseph  Marquette,"  says  Charlevoix,  «'  a 
native  of  Laon  in  Picardy,  where  his  family  still 
maintains  a  distinguished  rank,  was  one  of  the  most 
iUustrious  missionaries  of  New  France.  This  per- 
son travelled  over  all  the  countries  in  it,  and  made 
several  important  discoveries,  the  last  of  which  was 
that  of  the  Mississippi,  which  he  entered  with  the 
Sieur  Joliet,  in  1673.  Two  years  after  this  discov- 
ery, an  account  of  which  he  has  published,  as  he 
was  going  from  Chicago,  which  is  at  ihe  bottom  of 
Lake  Michigan,  to  Michilimackinac,  he  entered  on 
the  eighth  day  of  May,  1675,  the  river  in  question, 
the  mouth  of  which  was  then  at  the  extremity  of  the 
lower  ground,  which,  as  I  have  already  taken  notice, 
you  leave  on  the  right  hand  as  you  enter.  Here 
he  erected  his  altar,  and  said  mass.     He  went  at* 


■  '&;. 


f-  u 


dOO 

tcrwards  to  a  small  distance,  in  order  to  return 
thanks,  and  begged  the  two  men  who  conducted  his 
canoe  to  leave  him  alone  for  half  an  hour.  '  This 
time  having  passed,  they  went  to  seek  him,  and 
were  surprised  to  find  him  dead ;  they  called  to 
mind,  however,  that  on  entering  the  river,  he  had 
let  drop  an  expression,  that  he  should  end  his  days 
at  that  place.  However,  as  it  was  too  far  to  carry 
his  body  to  Michilimackinac,  they  buried  him  near 
the  bank  of  the  river,  which  from  that  time  has  f^ 
tired  by  degrees,  as  out  of  respect  for  his  remains* 
as  far  as  the  cape,  the  foot  of  which  it  now  wash- 
es ;  and  where  it  has  opened  itself  a  new  passage." 

Fourteen  miles  north  of  the  river  Marquette,  San- 
dy river  throws  itself  into  the  lake,  by  a  mouth  of 
only  ten  yards  wide,  being  choaked  up,  in  some 
measure,  by  the  sands,  which  are  beat  up  by  the 
lake.  We  encamped  four  miles  beyond  the  Satter$ 
at  a  late  hour,  having  progressed,  with  a  favourable 
wind,  seventy  miles. 


CVI.  Day.— (Sff;?/«m6«r  6/A.)— The  distance  from 
Sandy,  to  Manistic  river,  is  seventeen  miles — thence 
thirty,  to  the  river  Au  Betsie,  and  two  to  Gravelly 
Point,  where  we  encamped,  after  proceeding  forty., 
five  miles.  We  were  detained  a  couple  of  hours  in 
the  morning,  by  rain,  which  continued,  with  short 
intermissions,  during  the  day.  There  is  a  graat 
uniformity  in  the  appearance  of  the  coast,  which  is 
characterized  by  sand  banks,  and  pines,  fn  some 
instances,  a  stratum  of  loam^  is  seen  beneath  the 
sand,  and  the  beech  and  maple  are  occasionally 
intermixed  with  the  predominating  pines  of  the  fbr- 
est :  but  our  impressions  in  passing  along  the  coast* 


in 


401 

are  only  those  produced  by  barren  sceriery  or  un- 
cultivated woods. 

"  No  hamlet  emokiiig  through  the  mists  of  dawn, 
No  (garden  blushing  with  its  fostering  dew, 

No  herds  wild  browsing  on  the  dasied  lawn 

No  busy  villuge  charms  the  admiring  view." 

CVII.  Day.— (September  7/A.)— The  weather  still 
remained  cloudy. — We  embarked  at  early  daylight. 
In  going  thirteen  miles,  we  passed  a  stnall  stream 
called  Plate  river  j  and  nine  miles  bejond  reached 
a  noted  point,  on  the  east  sliore  of  the  lake,  called 
the  Sleeping  Bear.  The  shore  of  the  lake  here, 
consists  of  a  bank  of  sand,  probably  two  hundred 
feet  high,  and  extending  eight  or  nine  miles,  with- 
out any  vegetation,  except  a  small  hillock,  about 
the  centre,  which  is  covered  with  pines  and  pop- 
lars, and  has  served  to  give  name  to  the  place,  from 
a  rude  resemblance  it  has,  when  viewed  at  a  dis- 
tance, to  a  couchant  bear.  There  arc  two  islands 
off  this  part  of  the  coast,  in  plain  view  from  the 
shore,  which  are  called  the  Sleeping  Bear  islands. 

Fifteen  miles  beyond  the  Sleeping  Bear,  we  pass- 
ed Carp  river,  a  small  stream ;  and  a  like  distance 
beyond  it,  encamped  on  the  southern  cape  of  Grande 
Traverse  Bay,  which  is  the  most  considerable  in- 
dentation in  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Michigan, 
being  nine  miles  wide,  and  about  twenty  or  twenty- 
five  in  length,  narrowing  towards  its  head,  where  it 
receives  the  Ottoway  river.  At  this  place,  the  rock 
strata  first  appear  in  situ,  in  travelling  from  Chica- 
go to  Michilimackinac,  with  the  exception  of  a  point 
near  the  little  Konomick,  formerly  mentioned.    It 

.'51 


}^ 


}  M 


'} 


402 

18  calcareous,  stratified,  and  with  shells  sparingly 
imbedded-  It  scarcely  appears  above  the  water  in 
the  ledge,  but  large  detached  masses  of  it,  with 
enormous  boulders  of  hornblende,  and  granite,  are 
lying  in  the  water  near  the  shore,  and  render  it 
dangerous  to  turn  this  cape  in  canoes,  during  the 
n"'^  :     ;  '•  in  cases  of  a  strong  wind. 

,^,  ;iole  eclipse  of  the  sun  had  been  calculated 
for  this  day,  to  commence  at  seven  o'clock,  twenty 
minutes;  but  we  could  perceive  no  obscuration, 
notwithstanding  that  the  sun  shone  out,  a  great  part 
of  the  time  between  six  and  eight  o'clock,  and  we 
were  prepared  to  observe  the  commencement  and 
duration  of  the  eclipse,  by  the  telescope,  and  the 
darkened  glasses  of  a  common  sextant.  The  at- 
mosphere was  cloudy  and  obscure  at  daylight,  but 
lightened  towards  six  o'clock,  and  between  that  and 
eight,  a  succession  of  fleecy  clouds  passed  rapid- 
ly before  the  sun,  sometimes  veiling  it  entirely 
for  a  number  of  minutes,  but  during  the  inter- 
vals, it  shone  forth  with  its  usual  effulgence,  and 
we  could  observe  no  diminution  in  the  light,  the 
transparency,  or  the  temperature  of  the  air.  This 
eclipse  was  observed  according  to  the  predictions 
at  Philadelphia,  &c. 

CVIH.  Day.— {September  Sth.)—We  were  favour- 
ed with  a  calm,  in  crossing  the  Grand  Traverse, 
which  is  nine  miles.  It  is  then  six  miles  to  La  Pe- 
tit Traverse,  which  is  two  leagues  across ;  and  nine 
more,  to  the  Indian  village  of  L'Arbre  Croche. 
This  consists  of  about  forty  families  of  Ottoways, 
who  are  settled  upon  a  very  fertile  tract  of  land, 
and  raise  corn,  potatoes,  pease,  beans,  cucumbers, 


403 


I 


and  pumpkins,  not  only  in  sufficient  quantity  for 
their  own  subsistence,  but  they  annually  take  a 
quantity  of  corn  to  the  Michilimackinac  market.— 
They  reside  in  permanent,  and  comfortable  houses, 
and  number  altogether,  about  three  hundred  souls.. 
There  was  formerly  a  Jesuit  Mission  established  at 
this  place,  but  it  declined  with  the  fall  of  the  French 
power  in  the  Canadas.  The  site  of  the  chapel,  and 
the  clerical  mansion,  was  designated  by  our  Cana- 
dian conductors,  as  we  passed  a  point  of  land  at 
the  northern  extremity  of  the  village,  which  still 
continues  to  be  called  Point  a\a  Mission.  A  cluster 
of  islands  in  the  lake,  called  the  Beaver  islands,  are 
visible  in  passing  along  the  coast,  between  the 
Sleeping  Bear  and  L'Arbre  Croche ;  and  are  no- 
ted as  affording  safe  anchorage  ground  to  vessels 
navigating  the  lakes.  It  is  twenty-four  miles  from 
PoirU  a'la  Mission  to  Wagashonz  or  Fox  Point,  in 
the  straits  of  Michilimackinac,  and  nine  from  thence 
to  the  site  of  old  'Mackinac;  in  the  vicinity  of  which, 
we  encamped  after  dark,  having  progressed  fifty- 
seven  miles. 

CIX.  D\Y,— {September  9th.) — The  approach  of 
day  light,  which  disclosed  to  our  view,  the  island  of 
Michilimackinac,  brought  with  it,  a  gale  of  wind 
which  created  such  a  swell  on  the  lake,  that  we 
could  not  venture  to  embark.  At  eleven  o'clock, 
the  swells  broke  with  less  fury  along  the  shore,  al- 
though still  too  boisterous  to  attempt  the  traverse  in 
loaded  canoes ;  but  counselled  rather  by  our  impa- 
tience than  our  judgment,  we  determined  to  hazard 
the  attempt,  in  a  light  canoe,  strongly  manned  bj 
our  best  voyaguers,  who  volunteered  on  the  occa- 


/ 


1 

> 

1 

\ . 

1 

.    : 

■ 

.1 
'      1 

Hi 

9 

ill 

^1 

vf 

^1 

404 

sion,  and  had  the  good  fortune,  after  being  tosied  up* 
on  the  billows  for  several  hours,  to  reach  the  harbour 
of  Michilimackinac  in  safety. 

ex.  Day. — (September  lOtk.) — ^Our  friends,  from 
whom  we  parted  at  Green  Baj  on  the  22nd  of  Au- 
gust, had  arrived  there  several  days  before  us,  ha< 
ving  experienced  favourable  winds,  and  completed 
the  passage  in  eight  days.  On  separating  from  us 
at  the  mouth  of  Fox  river,  they  coursed  around  the 
western  shores  of  Green  Bay  to  Detour,  which  is 
the  point  of  the  northern  peninsula  separating  Green 
Bay  from  Lake  Michigan ;  and  thence  along  the 
northwestern  margin  of  the  lake  to  Point  St.  Ig- 
nace,  and  Michilimackinac.  The  entire  distance 
by  that  route,  is  computed  at  two  hundred  and  eigh- 
ty miles.  Green  Bay  has  two  considerable  indenta- 
tions, called  Little  Bay  de  Noquct,  and  Great 
Bay  de  Noquet.  Between  Fox  river  and  Little 
Bay  de  Noquet,  a  large  stream  throws  itself  into 
*,he  bay,  called  Menomonie  river,  which  is  connect- 
ed with  some  of  the  tributary  waters  of  Lake  Su- 
perior. Between  Detour  and  Point  St.  Ignace,  the 
Mino  Cockien,  Manistique,  and  some  smaller  rivers, 
enter  the  lake.  This  part  of  the  country  is  gene- 
rally barren,  consisting  mainly  of  sandy  pine  ridges, 
or  naked  calcareous  rocks.  The  western  shores  of 
Green  Bay,  afibrd  some  fine  lands,  mixed,  however, 
with  a  portion  that  is  either  low  and  swampy,  or 
rocky  and  sterile.  In  passing  these  coasts,  Mr. 
Trowbridge  and  Mr.  Doty,  procured  a  number  of 
specimens  illustrative  of  the  mineralogy  and  geolo- 
gy of  the  region.  "  The  most  interesting  of  these,'* 
says  the  former  in  a  note  to  me  on  the  subject,  "  will 


probably  be  the  organic  remains,  which  you  uriU 
find  in  the  lower  part  of  the  collection ;  they  were 
procured  in  Little  Noquet  Bay,  on  the  northeast 
side,  where  ridges  of  limestone  show  themselves 
firequently.  in  another  part  of  our  collectiiMiB,  you 
will  find  a  specimen  of  the  limestone  weighing,  about 
two  pounds,  of  whicli  the  upper  stratum  is  compos- 
ed, (secondary  Umestone,)  and  likewise,  two  pieces 
of  the  lower  stratum,  resembling  blue  pipe*stone, 
which  were  quite  soft  when  first  taken  up.  (^Earthy 
tompact  limestone  )  The  middle  stratum  was  compos- 
ed of  these  remains.     {Pectinites.) 

^  About  ten  miles  northeast  of  the  Great  Bay  de 
Noquet,  we  found  flint,  or  hornstone,  of  which  spe- 
cimens are  sent.  It  was  found  in  small  quantities 
attached  to  the  limestone  rocks.  {This  is  the  com- 
mon hornstone  in  nodules.) 

**  There  is  also  a  specimen  of  marble^  (transitiea 
hmestone)  which,  however,  we  saw  little  of;  but  since 
our  arrival,  are  informed  that  a  large  bluff  compos- 
ed of  the  same,  is  seen  from  thirty  to  forty  miles 
from  this  place,  on  the  lake  shore.  That  which  we 
procured,  was  sixty  miles  from  this.^ 

The  canoe,  with  our  baggage,  which  we  left  on 
the  peninsula,  on  the  morning  of  the  ninth,  travers- 
ed the  strait  of  Michilimackinac  to  Point  St  Ignace, 
in  the  evening  of  that  day,  and  rejoined  us  this  morn- 
ing in  the  harbour  of  Michilimackinac. 


CXI.  Day. — {September  lUh.) — Several  years  ago^ 
a  brilliant  specimen  of  native  copper,  weighing; 
ten  or  twelve  pounds,  of  an  irregular  shape,  was 
breu^  to  this  place  by  one  of  the  traders,  who  had 
procured  it  from  an  Indian  on  th)9  banks  of  Winne- 


406 


SV^''* 


bago  lake.    Differing  little  in  its  external  character 
from  other  masses  of  the  same  substance,  which 
have  been  so  frequently  found  throughout  this  re- 
gion, I  should  not  bring  tho  circujistance  into  notice, 
were  it  not  to  illustrate  by  the  following  fanciful  sto- 
ry, the  fertility  of  invention  and  the  powers  of  ima 
gination,  possessed  by  some  of  the  savag?  tribes. 
The  Indian  related,  that  passing  in  his  canoe  during 
the  aAernoon  of  a  beautiful  summer^s  day,  across 
Winnebago  lake,  when  the  sun  was  just  visible  above 
the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  a  delightful  calm  prevail- 
ed over  the  face  of  the  waters,  he  espied  at  a  distance 
in  the  lake  before  him,  a  beautiful  female  form  stand- 
ing in  the  water.     Her  eyes  shone  with  a  brilliancy 
that  could  not  be  endured,  and  she  held  in  her  hand 
a  lump  of  glittering  gold.     He  immediately  paddled 
towards    the    attractive  object,  but  as    he  catre 
near,  he  could  perceive  that  it  was  gradually  al- 
tering p,8  to  its  shape  and  complexion  ;    her  eyes 
no  longer  shone  with  brilliancy — her  face  lost  the 
hectic  glow  of  life — her  arms  imperceptibly  disap- 
peared ;  and  when  he  came  to  the  spot  where  she 
stood,  it  was  a  monument  of  stone,  having  a  human 
face,  with  the  fins  and  tail  of  a  fish.    He  sat  a  long 
while  in  amazement,   fearful  either  to  touch  the 
super-human  object,  or  to  go  away  and  leave  it;  at 
length,  having  made  an  offering  of  the  incense  of  to- 
bacco, and  addressed  it  as  the  guardian  angel  of  his 
country,  he  ventured  to  lay  his  hand  upon  the  statue, 
and  finally  lifted  it  into  his  canoe.     Tben  sitting  in  . 
♦he  other  end  of  the  canoe,  with  his  back  towards 
the  miraculous  statue,  he  paddled  gently  towards 
the  shore,  but  was  astonished,  on  turning  round,  to 
find  nothing  in  his  canoe,  but  the  large  lump  of  cop- 


407 


jper,  M  which,"  he  concluded,  taking  it  carf^fuUy  from 
a  roll  of  skine,  **  I  now  present  to  you." 


i^l 


'  CXU.DAT.>-(<Se/>/em6er  12/A.)— At  MichUiim\cki- 
nac. 


I-    'kji 


-4/- 


!.)• 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


RETURff  TO  DBTROrr. 


CXn.  DAY.--(S<7>/em*w  13//t.) 

IT  E  left  Michiliroackinac  at  three  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon, and  proceeding  ten  miles,  encamped  at 
Point  nux  Pins  on  the  lower  extremity  of  the  island 
of  Bois  Blanc.  This  island  is  from  ten  to  twelve 
miles  in  length,  by  three  in  width  at  the  widest  part, 
stretching  in  the  form  of  a  crescent  between  the  island 
of  Michilimackinac  and  the  peninsula  of  Michigan. 
The  lower  part  of  it,  consists  of  a  sandy  plain  cover- 
ed with  pitch  pines  {pinua  resinosa)  but  by  far  the 
greatest  portion  of  the  island  is  a  fertile  soil,  well 
adapted  lor  tillage,  and  bearing  a  forest  of  elm^ 
maple,  oak,  ash,  and  white  wood,  the  latter  being, 
the  predominating  tree.  In  the  summer  season,  it 
has  a  luxuriant  under^growth  of  grass,  vines,  and 
succulent  plants,  and  serves  as  pasturage  ground  for 
the  cattle  and  horses  of  the  inhabitants  of  JVlichili'^ 
mackinac,  and  also  as  a  repository  of  fire-wood  and 
building  timber ;  and  is,  in  every  respect,  a  most 
valuable  appendage  to  that  settlement. 

CXIV.  Day. — {September  Mth,) — Detained  by  un- 
favourable winds  during  the  morning.— In  the  mean- 


'•W^ 


400 

time,Capt.  Douglasa  revisits  'Mackinac,  an<l  rcturrte 
in  the  evening,  when  the  wind  aboting,  we  proceed- 
ed across  the  Traverse  to  the  main  shore— a  dis- 
tance of  four  miles.     While  detained  on  Bois  Blanc, 
a  vessel   bound  for  Michiiiniackinac,   passed   up 
through  the  narrow  strait,  which  separates  the  isl- 
and from  the  main  shore.      It  is  interesting  to  con- 
template the  progress  of  commerce  through  regions, 
which  at  no  remote  period,  were  only  traversed  in 
bark  canoes ;  and  which,  perhaps,  in  a  still  shorter 
perlot^  may  smile  under  the  hand  of  agriculture, 
cmlizaUon,  and  the  arts.  Every  fact,  connected  with 
the  ear\jr  settlement  of  a  country,  acquires,  in  pro- 
cess of  time,  a  moral  importance  of  which  we  are 
scarcely  aware;  and  the  historian  siezes  with  avidi- 
ty upon  the  insolated  records  of  the  introduction  of 
any  improvement  in  agriculture,  inventions  in  the 
arts,  and  other  changes  which  affect  the  condition 
and  comfort  of  men,  however  unimportant  in  them- 
selves, to  characterize  the  early  stages  of  society, 
in  every  country.     Only  a  hundred  and  forty-one 
J  ears  have  now  elapsed,  since  the  first  vessel  of  Eu- 
ropean construction,  was  launched  upon  the  northern 
lakes.     The  date,  and  the  facts  connected  with 
Its   construction,  are  well    authenticated    by   the 
concurrent  testimony  of  all  the  early  travellers  of 
the  region,  and  have  been  already  mentioned,  in  a 
former  part  of  this  Journal ,-    but  it  is  added  by  Fa- 
thcr  Hennipen,  that  this  vessel,  called  "  the  Griffin  " 
was  wrecked  during  the  same  year  in  Lake  Michi- 
gan, with  a  cargo  of  furs  and  skins,  valued  at  sixty 
thousand  hvres.    It  is  nor^  two  years  since  a  steam 
boat  was  introduced  upon  the  lakes.    This  vessel, 
called  the  «  Walk-in-the-Water,"  in  allusion  to  a 

52 


410 


Wyandot  chii?f,  made  its  first'  trip  to  the  island  of 
Michilimackinac  during  the  summer  of  1819  ;  and 
produced  as  great  a  degree  of  astonishment  among 
tho  Indians,  who  had  assembled  to  witness  its  arrival, 
as  it  would  have  done,  had  such  a  vessel  entered 
the  mouth  of  the  Tiber  diiring  the  meridian  splen- 
dour of  the  arts  and  arms  of  empeirial  Rome.  '  T^ie 
latter  must  have  been  equally  surprised  tCr  see  a  ship 
ploughing  rapidly  through  the  water,  without  the 
aid  of  sails  or  oars;  but  with  this  difference — that 
the  ancient  Roman  could  readily  have  been  made  to 
comprehend  the  nature  of  the  power  by  which  it 
was  pfropelled,  whereas  to  the  savage  mind,  it  re- 
mained wholly  incomprehensible  and  mysteriou*-; — 
Like  all  appearances,  however,  which  are  not  un- 
derstood, whethteV  of  natural  or  artificial  creation; 
it  was  conjectured  to  be  the  work  of  supcn-humaa 
agency,  and  they  were  not  slow  in  accounting  fot  it, 
by'^a  reference  to  the  sublime  system  of  fiidian 
mythology.  Acc!oi*ding  to  this,  Miccabo,  who  is  the 
spirit  of  water,  and  answers  to  the  Neptorte  bf  the 
heathens,  exerts  an  influence  over  all  those  various 
tribes  of  the  creation,  who  are  compelled  to  inhab- 
it the  streams,  rivers,  and  lakes ;  and  they  suppos- 
ed that  he  had  summoned  from  the  great  salt  lake, 
(meaning  the  ocean)  a  number  of  large  fishes,  or 
Missi-kikons,  who  were  employed  to  draw  this  vessel 
through  the  water  in  so  extraordinary  a  manner,  in 
return  for  some  signal  favour  received  from  the  white 
men.  Such  is  the  facility  with  which  the  northern 
Indians  account  for  the  most  extraordinary  phenom- 
ena. 

CXV.   Dhy. -'{September  15th.)— A    violent  rain 


411 

Btorm  during  the  nightf-?iwe  embarked  at  day  break} 
and  descended  tQ.  jt^]|P|U|{^  Isle,  a  distanc;?  of  iorty- 
four  miles.     m(k>»   ;  * 


CXVI,  DAY.—(.Septemher  1  Gth.^ — Rainy— embark* 
ec)a(«five  w  the  iporning,  and  proceeded  to  Tliun- 
der  Bay,  on  the  north  cape  of  which  we  encamped, 
at  an  early  hour  in  the  afternoon,  the  lake  threaten- 
ing a  violent  storm ;— fdist^ince  thiij^  miles. 

At  the  spot  of  our  encampment,,  ahd  around  the 
shores  of  Thunder  Bay,  petrifactioi^s  of  the  encri- 
nite,  pectinitQ,xelleponte,  &c.  are  abundant.  They 
occur  imbedded  , in  compact  limestone,  which  ap- 
pears in  horizM^ntal  strata  e^long  this  part  of  the  coast, 
although  it  does  not  attain  a  great  elevation  above 
the  surface  of  the  water.  The  application  of  these 
relics,  in  determining  the  geological  ages  of  the  dif- 
ferent mineral  strata,  pomposingthe  crust  of  the  globe, 
,iWasjcertainly  one  of  the  happiest  and  the  mosi' im- 
portant of  the  discoveries  for,  which  the  sciences  of 
mineralogy  and  geology  stand  indebted  to  the  cele- 
brated Werner.  ,  No  sooner  was  this  fact  advanced, 
than  men  of  science  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  be- 
gan to  perceivethat  certain  limestones,  slates, schists, 
&c,  were  characterized  by  containing  the  im- 
bedded remains  of  plants,  shells,  polypi,  and  fishes ; 
while  oiher  rocks,  and  different  species  of  the  same 
genus  of  rocks,  ^^^re  entirely  free  from  these  re- 
mains, thus  furnishing  evidence,  which  appears  in- 
controvertible in  the  present  state  cf  the  science, 
that  the  former  are  of  the  most  recent  formation.  A 
minute  examination  of  the  different  species  of  im- 
bedded relics  found  in  similar  rocks,  in  countries  the 
most  distant  and  remote,  served  also  to  shew  a  co^ 


■k- 


s  , 


'^    ! 


412 

incidence  in  the  coinppsttion,  relatire  position,  and 
petrifactions  of  rocks,  which  has  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  theory  of  universal  stratification,  and  of 
the  formation  of  ^all  mineral  strata,  through  the  agen- 
cy of  watery  rnenstruae  either  by  subsidence,  «r  by 
crystallization  ;  and  perhaps  there  is  nothing  which 
the  combined  lights  of  geology  and  philosophy  at 
the  present  period,  tend  more  conclusively  to  provev 
than  that  the  different  continents  of  the  earth,  were 
simultaneously  created,  however  since  disrupted 
by  earthquakes,  washed  away  by  seas,  or  dilapidated 
by  time. 

"  Neither  an  attentive  examination  of  the  geologi-^ 
cal  constitution  of  America,"  says  the  Baron  d© 
Humboldt,  "  nor  reflections  on  the  equilibrium  of 
the  fluids,  that  are  diffused  over  the  surface  of  the 
globe,  lead  us  to  admit,  that  the  new  continent 
emerged  from  the  waters  at  a  later  period  than  the 
old  :  we  discern  in  the  former  the  same  succession 
of  stony  strata,  that  we  find  in  our  own  hemisphere; 
and  it  is  probable,  that,  in  the  mountains  of  Peru,  the 
granites,  the  micaceous  schists,  or  the  different  for- 
mations of  gypsum  and  gritstone, existed  originally  at 
the  same  periods,  as  the  rocks  of  the  same  denomi- 
nations in  the  Alps  of  Switzerland.     The   whole 
globe  appears  to  have  undergone  the  same  catastro- 
phes.   At  a  height  superior  to  that  of  Mount  Blanc, 
on  the  summit  of  the  Andes,  we  find  petrified  sea- 
shells;  fossil-bones  are  spread  over  the  equinoctial 
regions ;  and  what  is  very  remarkable,  they  arc  not 
discovered  at  the  feet  of  the  palm  trees-in  the  burn- 
ing plains  of  Oronoco,  but  on  the  coldest  and  most 
elevated  regions  of  the  Cordilleras.  In  the  new  world, 
as  well  as  in  the  old,  generations  of  species  long  ex- 


413 

tinct,  have  preceded  those,  which  now  pedpte  i\ie 
earth,  the  waters,  and  the  air."*^  m 

CXVII.  DAY.--(Scp/«M^cr  17/A.)-~We  proceeded 
across  Thunder  Bay,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
landing  a  few  moments  upon  the  island  near  its  cen- 
tre, and  passing  BuccessiveJy,  the  spot  of  oui  former 
encampment^  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  au  Sables, 
and  the  northwest  cape  of  Saganaw  Bay,  encamped 
on  the  western  shore  of  the  latter,  at  l^ndy  Point ; 
having  made  a  journey  of  fifty-five  miles.  Here  we 
found  a  family  of  Saganaw  Indians,  who  had  taken 
up  a  temporary  residence  at  that  place,  attracted  by 
the  Abundance  of  water  fowl,  found  in  a  contiguous 
inlet.  These  people  lead  a  wandering  life,  abiding 
but  a  short  time  at  a  place,  changing  their  habita- 
tions whenever  the  deer,  the  fish,  or  the  wild  fowl, 
promise  an  easier  subsistence  at  another  place. 
They  live  in  tents  formed  of  rush-mats,  supported  by 
a  few  slender  poles  ;  and  all  their  moveable  effects 
and  household  goods,  together  with  the  family,  are 
readily  transported  in  a  birch  bark  canoe.  On  en- 
tering the  tent,  we  found  no  person  in,  but  the  squaw 
and  children,  who  manifested  none  of  that  timidity, 
and  apparent  fear,  which  it  is  common  to  find  among 
unfrequented  tribes.  The  woman  was  engaged  at 
the  moment,  in  picking  the  feathers  from  a  number 
of  wild  ducks,  apparently  just  killed,  which  lay  at 
her  side,  and  our  entrance  appeared  to  have  no  more 
effect  upon  her  than  it  probably  would,  had  one  of 
her  own  family  entered.  She  continued  her  work. 
This  may  be  considered  as  the  result  of  the  confi* 

*  Humboldt's  Researches,  vol.  i.  p.  II. 


m 


i 


■%  ■; 


k  .m 


414 


denc^  they  repose  in  the  wliite8,-~tho  frequency  of 
their  intcrviewu  with  traders  and  travellers,  and  the 
uniform  justice  which  they  hftve  received  from  our 
citizens  and  our  government.  We  observed  a  num- 
ber of  smoked  squirrels,  fish,  and  ducks,  hanging  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  tent ;  indicating  a  degree  of 
earci  £^1*  the  subsistence  of  their  children,  and  fore- 
cast as  to  the^  uncertainties  of  the  chase,  which  is 
highly  honourable  to  the  judgment  and  the  paternal 
feelings  of  these  people.  They  have  a  method  of 
taking  fish  through  the  ice  in  the  winter  season, 
vrhich  is  equally  novel  and  ingenious.  After  r*  hole 
has  been  cut  through  the  ice,  they  encompass  it 
with  a  slender  circular  frame  of  rods,  or  a  kind  of 
open  basket,  over  which  a  blanket  is  thrown  to  ex- 
clude the  light. '  'The  savngc  now  lays  himself  down 
upon  the  ice,  with  his  head  under  this  hood,  and 
playing  a  decoy  or  artificial  fish  upon  the  surface  of 
the  water  with  one  haiul,  holds  a  drawn  spear  in  the 
other,  and  when  the  large  trout  suddenly  dart  up  to 
beize  their  fancied  prey,  pierces  the  body  of  his  vic- 
tim with  unerring  certainty.  The  spear  is  short,  and 
loosens  itself  from  the  handle  the  moment  it  is  struck, 
but  is  attached  to  a  strong  line,  with  which  he  plays 
the  fish  a  while  in  ttie  water  below,  and  draws  it 
out  as  soon  as  it  becomes  sufliciently  enfeebled  with 
the  wound.  This  method  of  fishing  was  first  noticed 
by  Mr.  Hudson,  a  missionary  among  the  Saganaws, 
fo  whose  manuscript  journal  lam  permitted  to  refer 
for  the  fact!3. 

'  CXVIII.  Daw-— {September  18//*.)— Crossed  Saga- 
naw  Bay,  stopping  an  hour  upon  the  island  of  Sha- 
wangunk,  and  encamped  in  tlie  eastern  cove  of  Point 


ik 


410 

mix  BarqueB ;— distance  i'orty-^^o  inilcn.  Tie  inl- 
and of.  Shawangunk  ia  an  oliuvinl  plain  of  four  or  |^ve 
inilcB  in  circumtbrencCf  based  upon  n  cnlcnrootin 
rocic  whicli  is  compact,  stratified,  without  organic 
remait^,  ond  contai^iing  very  large  imbedded  mass- 
es of  chalcedony,  and  calcareous  spar.  These,  httV9 
been  broken  out  by  the  violence  of  the  waves 
around  the  margin  of  the  island,  and  lie  promiscu- 
ously amofig  the  fragments  of  limestone  torn  up  by 
the  storms,  und  ampng  large  boulders  of  granite, 
hornblende,  trap,  greenstone  porphyry,  quartz,  ar- 
gillite,  and  sienite.  The  island  is  covered  with  a 
beautiful  g;rowth  of  oak,  and  its  numerouH  little  bays 
find  inlets  appear  to  be  a  favourite  resort  of  aquatic 
birds.  4 


CXIX.  Day.— (%/cm6cr  1 9//i.)— Detained  at  Point 
aux  Uarques,  by  head  winds.  An  opinion  is  preva- 
lent among  the  inhabitants  of  the  region,  that  the 
northwestern  lakes  are  gradually  running  out,  or  in 
other  words,  that  the  level  of  the  waters  is  constant- 
ly lowering :  some  suppose  this  diminution  to  take 
place  periodically,  others,  by  a  constant  and  imper- 
ceptible exhaustion.  1  have  been  informed  by  an 
intelligent  person  at  Michilimackinac,  who  has  been 
in  the  habit  of  making  observations  upon  the  rocks 
which  project  above  ths  water,  that  the  level  of 
Lake  Huron  has  fallen  a  foot  within  the  last  eight 
years.  It  has  also  been  advanced,  that  this  decrease 
continues  ibr  a  defmite  period  of  years,  as  seven,  or 
fourteen,  and  that  at  the  expiration  of  a  like  period, 
after  sinking  to  its  minimum  level,  it  attains  its  for» 
mer  height  in  tie  same  gradual  and  imperceptible 
manner,  and  that  thus  a  ceaseless  ebuing  and  flow- 


-41 

''■     i      :i 


m^ 


416 

-jng  <j^  the  lakes,  is  produced.      A  moment's  reflec- 
tion, however,    will  render  it  manifest  that  in  a 
country  so  extensive  and  thinly  populated,  a  number 
of  circumstances  may  operate  to  produce  a  decep- 
tion with  respect  to  the  permanent  diminution  of 
water,  as  the  prevalence  of  certain  winds,  the  quan- 
tity of  rain  and  snow  that  falls  around  their  shores, 
&c.      There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  extra  quan- 
tum of  water  discharged  during  the  spring  and  fall, 
by  the  numerous  streams  and  rivers  flowing  into 
these  lakes,  produces  a  corresponding  rise  in  the 
lakes  themselves,  which  suffer  a  gradual  diminution 
as  midsummer  approaches.      It  is  also  obvious,  that 
the  evaporation  of  water,  must  vary  greatly  during 
the  different  seasons,  in  our  fluctuating  climate ;  and 
produce  asensiblp  departure  from  the  standard  lev- 
els of  the  different  lakes.      Conclusions,  therefore, 
drawn  from  the  appearances  of  any  particular  point 
along  this  great  chain,    should  be  received  with 
great  caution ;  and  they  must  always  be  exposed  to 
error  in  the  precise  ratio  that  the  temperature  of  the 
air,  the  quantity  of  rain  which  has  fallen,  and  the 
prevalent  winds,  during  the  times  which  shall  be  se- 
lected iot  experiment,  shall  have  been  correctly  re- 
gistered and  compared. 

Philosophers  and  geologists  have  not  been  want-^ 
ing,  who  have  attributed  similar  appearances  to  the 
ocean  itself,  and  the  names  of  Celsius,  PIayfair,and 
Jameson,  may  be  quoted  in  support  of  the  theory 
that  the  level  of  the  seas  is  gradually  diminishing.— 
It  will  be  suflicient  in  this  place  to  cite  the  opinion 
of  the  admirable  Cuvier  on  this  subject. 

« It  has  been  asserted,''  he  observes  in  his  Theory 
i>f  the  Earth, « that  the  sea  is  subject  to  a  continual 


# 


417     .^        * 

diminutioh    of  its  level,    and   proofs  of  thfe  are 
said  to  have  been  discovered    in  some  parts  of 
the  shores  of  the  Baltic.      Whatever  may  have 
been  the  cause  of  these  appearances,  we  certainly 
know  that  nothing  of  the  kind  has  been  obscrv?^  up- 
on oiir  coasts;    and,  consequently,  that  there  has 
been  no  general  lowering  ot  the  waters  of  the  ocean. 
The  most  ancient  sea-ports  still  have  their  quays 
and  other  erections  at  the  satne  height  above  the 
levelof  the  sea  as  at  their  first  construction.    Cer- 
tain general  movements  have  been  supposed  in  the 
sea  from  east  to  west,  or  in  other  directions ;    but  no 
where  has  any  person  been  able  to  ascertain  their 
effects  with  the  least  degree  of  pre  :;i8ion." 
»■ 
CXX.   Day.— (Sq)tember  20/ii.)— The  winds  had 
abated,  but  did  not  cease  to  oppose  our  progress  at 
daylight.    We  embarked  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing—were driven  ashore  by  the  waves  at  seven — re- 
embarked  at  nine,  and  proceeding  against  a  light 
head  wind  until  eight  in  the  evening,  encamped  on 
the  beach  of  the  lake,  at  the  distance  of  fifty  miles 
from  Point  aux  Barques. 

iy  CXXLVay.— (September  21*/.) — We  quit  our  en-" 
campment  at  foul*  in  the  morning,  but  were  driven 
ashore  by  the  winds  on  going  six  miles ;  and  detain- 
ed during  the  remainder  of  the  day.  At  the  spot 
of  our  encampment,  organic  remains  are  abundant, 
in  the  detached  masses  of  secondary  limestone, 
which  are  strewed  along  the  lake.  The  shore  is 
sandy  from  the  woods  to  the  water,  where  there  is 
a  bed  of  pebbles  and  large  blocks  of  granite,  horn- 

53 


4^ 


u 


410 


blen^,  quartz,  micaBlate,  and  greenstone ;  but  no 
rock  strata  appear  in  situ.  Among  the  loose  masses 
of  rock,  I  noticed  one  of  a  Ion  weight,  consisting 
of  granite  made  up  of  the  usual  constituents  of  ield- 
spar,  quartz,  and  mica;  and  alao  imbedding  globu- 
lar pebbles  of  hornblende  porphyry,  the  latter 
being  composed  of  pure  black  hornblende,  diver- 
sified with  fragments  and  crystals  of  feldspar, 
quartz,  and  mixed  granite*  This  fact  1  had  previ- 
ously noticed  along  other  parts  of  the  shore  of  Lake 
Huron,  and  at  Grosse  Point,  on  Lake  St.  Clair. 

CXXII.  Day. ^September  22c/.) — Embarking  at 
early  daylight,  we  reached  fort  Gratiot  at  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  after  rowing  twelve  hours 
against  an  unfavourable  wind.  Here  we  halted 
half  an  hour — found  the  garrison  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  Webb,  by  whom  we  were  received 
with  cordiality — and  descending  the  river  seven 
miles,  encamped  at  twilight  upo«  Elk  island,  having 
progressed  fifty-seven  milcK. 

CXXII  I.  DAif. — {September  23d.) — On  reaching 
Elk  island,  we  concluded  to  avail  ourselves  of  a 
calm  night  to  descend  the  river,  and  after  taking 
supper  and  repairing  our  canoes,  again  embarked 
at  nine  o'clock,  and  reached  Lake  St.  Clair  at  half 
past  three  in  the  morning.  Here  we  were  compelled 
to  await  the  dawning  of  day,  as  the  fog  and  darkness 
rendered  it  impracticable  to  effect  the  traverse  du- 
ring the  night.  Daylight  brought  with  it  a  strong 
head  wind,  and  the  lake  became  so  mnch  agitated, 
that  the  voyageurs  considered  it  unsale  to  cross. — 
Urged  by  our  impatience,  however,  to  terminate  the 


'm 


2«*  ' 


'€m 


4lf 


foyage,  the  eiperimetit  was  hazarded;  and  not- 
vrithatanding  the  rain,  which  shortly  commencedi 
and  the  increased  violence  of  the  wind,  we  effected 
the  crossing  with  perfect  safety — passed  Grosse 
Point  at  noon,  and  landed  at  Peiroit  atha|f  past 
three. 


•./|f. 


■"¥■ 


% 


GENERAL  INDEX, 


* 


CUitAt^  oMVMv-Terk 

BiMin  Boat  Trivtiling  ... 

Fine  PUirm  .... 

SthcnMUdy  .... 

Valley  of  th«  Mohawk 

Ii'oquoii  Indiant  .  .  *  . 

UticA  ■  .  .  . 

Siege  of  Fort  Stanwit,  facti  rMpectinc 

uenavQ  •  -  .  . 

Pro<Iuce  ofthe  lol)  in  the  Gennet  coooiry 

Buffalo  .  .  ;  . 

Falli  of  Niagara        .... 

Krrort  of  the  Jeiult  miuionariei  reipaetioK  ilt  beigbl 

Irlit  Island       .... 

Oeologlcal  character  of  iha  Palli 

Facii  reipeciing  land  birds  and  water  fowl 
IjCDtieular  csid  of  iron  in  Ontario 

Historiral  Noiirei  ofthe  diicovery  ofthe  Niagara  FalU     - 
Stesm  BoHt  voyage  from  Buflalo  to  Detroit 
Pui-in-Bovi  or  Baas  Fslands  ... 

Mom,  or  stroniisn  Island     ... 
Detcriplion  of  Detroit  ... 

Its  public  buil(lill(rs  -  . 

Ill  moral  institutions         •  .     ^  . 

MistoricRl  facts  respecting  its  seltleinenl      • 

Siege  of  Detroit  by  the  Confederate  Indians  under  Pontiac 

Its  present  slate  and  prospects    • 
Journry  to  Michilintackinnc  ... 

Description  of  the  Indian  Cano*  (with  a  plate) 
Meteorolo£ical  observations  at  Detroit  •  . 

Drparture  from  Detroit — boat-race — picturesque  scenery 
Members  of  the  Expedition  .  ,,  >  . 

Description  ofLake  St.  Cliiir  .  . 

Tecumseh,  sketch  of  his  life  ... 

River  St.  Clair— soil — forest  trees,  ttc.  - 
Fort  Gratiot  •  .  . 

Coluber  acstivus,  or  common  green  snake,  fact  respecting 
Meifforological  observations  on  the  lake  and  river  St.  Clair 
Gvoloeicalremarks  ... 

Lake  Huron — chiracler  and  proUucliont  of  its  thores  • 

Its  elevation  above  the  Atlantic 
Cla;)r  Banks — deceptive  appearance  of  . 

White  Rock — geological  note  . 

Indian  tribes  •  .  .  . 

Their  offerings       ... 

Remarks  on  their  religion 

on  (heir  superstition 
on  their  knowledge  of  medicine 
Botanical  notices  ... 

Stauroiide  on  Lake  Huron  ... 

Petrifactions  .  . 

Point  aux  Barqtie$-="gpological  character  of  the  coast 
Deicription  of  Sagana*  Bay 

Indians  at  River  au  Sables  ... 

Thunrfpr  Ba 


_By 

FlBi-i;ock-Point — organic  relici 


IT 
10 
tl 

n 

ib. 

ss 

u 
fl 

90 

ai 

.IS 

as 

34 

as 

as 
as 

f- 

« 
M 
01 

a 
a 

AS 

ex 
m 

n 

IS 

n 

n 

78 
79 
81 
82 

(ft 
84 
84 
86 

88 


90 
ib. 
93 
ib. 
9« 
OS 
07 
90 
101 
108 


>, 


OibNEKAL    iNJ)£X. 


Am«iican  liare  •  .  .  , 

('tut  <i|<|<i>iiiHnc«of  (lie  iilaml  orMicliHinuKkinKi: 
.  H«intii  k»  uii  th«  (Oil  and  proclucilMM  ol  ihi  MMllMni  iborM  of  Lake  Huron 
iVUlcuioliiriciil  obirrvRllaiK  on  Luka  HitroM 
Talile  of  Diiluiirr*  Irum  Drlroii  10  Michilinwt'kiiiM)  • 

Dficri)>tion  ot  ih«  loland  mi'l  I'own  •(  MiohiliinaekinM  • 

111  «liiv«iion— uinni'i  arch—natural  pyramid,  lie.         • 
Gvpium  hfilk  ol'thc  9t.  Miiriln'i  IttaiKh 
HUtoricul  faeti  reipcciiiiK  ih»  •viil<mcni  of  Michiliaitckioac 
Miiisarrc  ol'  (h«  Kn|[li«li  K'tImhi  in  1763         ... 
Full  ol  ih«  Lukes 

Oeolii^y  Hiitl  mineralogy  ofth*  idandofMlchilimackinaQ 
Furl  rude        •  •  •  . 

IMcieoro!'      a1  ObMrvaiioM  at  Michlliinacklnac 
Dt|>iirtiii       >' Luke  fluperior  •        •       • 

Ainericttii  .  >rcupin« 

Rivvr  di.  Mary— lalandnrSt,  Joseph    •  < 

Dxirripiion  ofihe  Suuli  Ue  St,  Marie  (with  a  plate) 
Indian  method  of  fuliins    •  •  . 

Itujiture  will)  the  Indiam  •       •  • 

Thermometrirul  obiiarvationi  •  • 

Entmnce  into  Laku  Superior — piclureiqua  view 
DikC-nvery  of  lilver  •  .  . 

Shrlldriike  river        •  .  . 

While  Fitii  I'uini— »oil,  foreii  treei,  be. 
tiiuride  Sahle  •  ■  . 

I). •!•!  ipiion  of  the  Pictured  Rocki  (with  a  plate)   - 
fli'Hiidi-  hie  •  -  • 

Bravery  of  the  Chippeway  Indians       •  . 

ticningirti  reniarki  (with  a  jJaie) 
Ind'an  Grave  -  -  •  . 

Docripliun  uf  Kewenna  Buy  and  Point 
PH>iB|;e  of  the  Keweena  portage  • 

Mineiiilozy  ol  Lake  Superior        -  -     • 

Trait  of  Indian  character   ... 
Mei.orulogical  Ohgervationi 
Tallin  of  Distance*  ... 

Vialt  to  the  Copper  Mine* 

Character  of  the  Uiitonagun  river— Sturgeon  fishery,  be, 
Remarkable  inau  of  iiativ»  C  >ptjer 
Indiana  entrap  a  Bear—itt  lice,  aic. 
Temperature  of  the  air  and  water  at  the  Ontonagon  Itiver 
Proceed  to  the  Kond  du  Lac 
Foiciipine  Mountains 
Phenomenon  nientioned  by  Charlevoix    . 
Fullx  of  the  Montreal  River 

Manvuiii  Hiver — |>oint  Chegoiinegon — the  cilablitbnient 
Geological  character  of  the  shore 
Bois  brtdfi  Kiver — Fond  du  Lac   • 
Heninrka  npun  Lake  Superior    >  . 

The  Island  of  Yellow  Sandi 
£leviili(Mi  ot  the  American  LakCI 
Wild  Rice  (Zezaniaaqiialica)  .  . 

Description  of  the  American  Fur  Company'*  Hoiwe 
Stationary  Distances — Meteorolrgical  Obsetvaiijn* 
Pansage  of  the  Grand  J'ortage  on  8i.  Louis  Kiver 
Geolopy  and  Mineralogy 
Poi  la K*  aux  Coteanx —  Vertical  Slate 
Exiiedition  separates— ProgreM  of  the  parly  by  land 
Indian  method  of  writing  in  hieroglyphic* 
DiirictiUieii  ol  travelling — Topographical  remarks   - 
Cranberry,  facis  respecting 
Botanical' rsioiices  - 

Sandy  Lukh  . 

Alarm  created  on  our  arrival   - 
I)e«cri|>iion  oJ  the Fot !,  hitiorical  facts!  8ic. 
l«»]ogy  of  the  region         -  .  .  . 


•  HM 
1U6 
105 

•  lOU 
100 
110 

•  lb. 

lis 

•  ih. 
116 
114 

no 
in 

lU 
Its 

139 
138 

^»* 

ib. 

143 

144 

145 

148 

100 

IM 

lAO 

108 

160 

16t 

I 

176 
183 

m 

188 
190 
ib. 
191 
19S 
» 
1 
198 

•mo 

■'{)i 

'203 
20t 
COS 
S06 
St)f? 
209 

itt 

tio 
it>. 

tl6 
217 
SIS 
SIB 


■t    : 


GENERAL   INOKX. 


SivnnnBli  River,  (upogrtphy  of  •  . 

Indiiin  TriltM  •  •  .  . 

Th«ir  numbtri,  chi»lli,  mo«f«  ol  tiiliiinirnr* 

-- —  iBHtfuaK*,  phv'itH I  conititUtiDii,  &o. 

n  Hrlike  characiar  and  emploiii 

DrcH,  (ttn'mg,  %„a'm  in|{«|  paiiion  for  painli,  Ur 

Sim*  of  Feiiial*  Oocicly 

Method  ol'  Muriiil  • 

Kaligioui  Upiniotifi.      •  • 

Indian  Orolory — a  afwciinen 

MaiaoroloKicalObjitrva'ioni— Dinlancaj — Elevniioni 
Rnierlhi>  MiiiiMippi,  and  ptovftd  tnwardi  id  loiirca 
Jlwlogicrtl  churaclar  and  proJuciioni  ofiht  MiMimlpnl 
fullaof  Pe,k»B«n«  -  .  . '^' 

Appaarnncea  orihe  Sarannalii  or  I'rairici  • 
UMcriuliuii  of  Leecli  Lakt  .  . 

Lnlce  Winiiipec        ... 
NHiur^l  HiBioiv  ol  ihe  Pelican 
Deicnpiion  of  CHminn  LnU»  (with  a  view  on  the  mnp) 
UbjMj  ol  liiiinun  iiiinery     .  .  . 

Reinfc.kKin  the  phydcal  chararier  ofihe  Mlaiiuippi 
Elyiiiolony  of  the  word  "  Miitjjsippl*'  . 

De»cenl  of  the  Mliiiaiippi 

BouiidHry  line  hfliweeii  the  United  SlHlei  and  Canada 
Iteliirn  lo  Saody  Lake 

Meleorological  Obncrvalioni      •  •       * 

.lourney  lo  St.  i'eter'* 

MiuquKoe.i  •  •  . 

Topot;rHpliic»l  rfirmrku  on  Pine  Hiver,  gtc. 
Ndlici'd  ol  Nniiinil  Hi«lnry 
The  Hed  tiquirrei— iis  hiibiis,  varieiiei,  iu. 
River  l)e  Corbeaii    .  ,  ,  ' 

JMinerHloiry  and  (leology     ,  , 

HliiilinK  the  BiifTrtlo  .  ,  * 

lodJHn  Hieroglvphict  , 

lUnmrkion  the  Naturnl  Hiiioryofihe  Wolf 


-Siryx  Nyclea,  or  White  Owl 
il  noiicM  of  the  Si.  Francis  un 


and  Crow  (liveri 


Topo^rraphicul ,„ „  „..  , 

IV]iui<iaW);ai«>;ron  or  Rum  River 

2r.**r'IJ''?P  "Q""*  •'''»"'  *>''S'-  Anthony  (with  a  plate") 
Fike  f  Indian  1  reaty  .  .  r      / 

New  Garriion  at  St".  Peler'i         .  '        .  ' 

Hiiiory  of  111  ejiabliihnn-nt,  Jic. 

Climute  and  Prodiiniont 
Topograjiliical  account  of  the  St.  Peter*i 

it!  mineralogy  .  . 

Indian  pipe  ttona  .  , 

iHitive  Copper 
F«cii  rcipecting  the  medicinal  propcrtiei  of  the  Box  elder 
Minernl  sprint's 

Aromatic  grusa  ... 

Dcicripiion  of  the  Gopher 

Treaty  comrluded  between  the  Sioux  and  Cliippewnyg 
Some  account  ofthe  Sioux  nation 
Anecdote  of  a  Sioux  Cliiel' 

AMiquitiet  01)  the  river  St  Peter'*  .         . 

Detcriptionol  the  Calhoun  Lakei         .  . 

Leopard  {ground  iqnirrpi  -  . 

MetooroloKical  observtilinnj  •  . 

DfKrend  the  River  to  Priiiriedu  Chien  . 

Dcicription  of  CarverVt^nve 
V illage  of  Le  Petit  CorbPHu 

Subsianceofan  Indian  Speech  delivered  to  Governor  Cas« 
Corn  Feast 

Remark*  on  the  St.  Croix  River 
Scenery  of  the  IMiisis^ippi    . 
Red  Winj^'s  village 
Indian  process  of  tanning 


262 

ses 

360 

saa 

269 
«W 
871 

»72 
S73 
274 
275 
?78 
28t 
S84 
28ft 
280 

a!8 

?B9 

292 

il>. 

lb. 

SM 

29fi^ 

297 

900 

801 

ao3 

ib. 

ibi: 
aert 

311 
SIS 

ib. 
SIS 
314 
3li 

ib. 
817 
.118 
SI9 
321 

ib. 
3tS 


i 


§ 


''  ■ ,. 

'  DMarfatiMi'orthtGranM  ■    ~    .      4^.,,^^''' 
nuural  Biiiarf  af Dm  BatilMuil* 
pmr{pikt»  of  LaUPtpln 
IwttaM  oTlMroio  (MtioMnt  in  an  ladiM  ciri 
HMNnm  ofan  amiqni  forlificatioa 

liwowa|i|iiiiiaui\»i!iikt  in(h««rat«r   . 
AtitmiMtbiak*fti>oir 

FmlrtoclaCblBli 
iMilptJcmorihaFoM 
MliolMlaadintiiM        .  * 

XcttleCUaTt  ¥illan        .  -^^' 

6i«lojEjr  and  BtinerllBn  -  *  .' 

lodiao  Metiiod  of  mlhmg 

BaneaoeauatorUMrosIodiMB  .  .        ' 

HbtoriMi  fced  rMpectiDg  the  diicovciy  oT  tbe  miae« 

Jolien  DabuqM  .      ;  .  . 

Mr.  OallatiD't  report  on  tbeminc^        •'  .1 

^riMpn^MedbyLmit.  Pib  . 

rieturci^e  appearance  of  the  cnuotry 

Joaroeyup  tbeOuwoniing 

Bemarb  00  the  aeolofy,  lepocnphy,  &c.  of  tbe  Outcontina 

Proceed  acroM  the  portage  to  ih«  Foi  river         .  . 

Charaeter  of  Foi  river  aboM  WioDebaco  lake 

Deteription  of  WinncbaM  laka  . 

Green  Bay       -  .  ... 

General  remarkt  00  Fox  river  .  . 

ObMrvationi  00  the  appearances  of  a  Ude  to  tbe  Uket 

iMian  cemetery 

Jfineralogieal  character  M  the  weitera  ihores  oP«Lake  Michiian 

Drowned  pigeoni  andguUDt  .  .      * 

BcdH  of  pyritee  •  .  .  . 

Aipbaltum 

De«criptioa  of  Chica(0-the  garriooB  and  vHlage 

-— ——  of  the  coootry  around  Chicago 

Mineral  coal  .  .  .  . 

Meteorological  obiervatiooi 

Accoont  of  t^  mafnere  of  the  American  garrisoo  at  Chicago,  in  1812 

UeicnpUoo  or  the  loss  of  the  achoorar  Hercules,  and  the  death  of  Lieut 

Biver  St.  Jorapb  -  .  . 

Phytolites,  locality  of  .  . 

Ludus  belmoatii  ... 

Cirande  river 

Fungite  (with  a  plate) 

Historical  facts  relative-to  the  river  Marquette 

Sterile  appeaFance  of  the  coast  , 

Sleepmg  Bear 

L*ArbreCrocbevillags 

Geology  ol  Green  Bay  , 

Native  copper,  iandful  Indian  story 

Island  of  Bois  Blanc  .  .  , 

Fint  vemei  built  on  the  lakes 

mciiaii  aanoer  of  accr noting  for  phenomena  . 

Petribctiont— geological  remarka 

Sagaoawlodiaaa 

method  of  Qjhiiig 
Mineralogy  o!  Shaifingunk  island 
Dioiinatioo  of  the  level  of  the  lakev  . 

Organic  relica— geology  .  , 


Eviletb 


39» 

ilk 

30B 

397 

400 

m 

402 
404 
405 

m 

40» 
410 
4lt 

417 


h  f 


ri»d,  Proftijor  Baton  of  the  Medical  Iiuritotior.  of  MJddlcburyColifw 
Pane  .t3i.  line  iOth.  for  "contrail,"  read  itivertkii.  ^  »-o«ege. 


W'Z'  .-^'  V- :*'  ","■     .-wi"«.»M    »ciid  diverHtt/, 

Page  177,  liaeS««li   (or  "apijcar, '  read  appmri. 
•'    Ime  Mih,  for  the  artick  "  a"  rca.i  one. 
PaRc  196,  Jmi-  ioU>,  for  tJic  article  "a''  rtad  on, 

1>aK'<.    O.IS.    lino  «J^  v.,.!!.!. ••    J    ".-'-"    ""' 

— >-  — --.  -        — — «  .w.     t-i! _  111  J.    2T?ntt'r?TTTT. 


k 


331 

m 


344 

m 

34B 

3Jd 

398 
3«1 

3W 
365 

^ 

srs 

37» 


letb    3la 

•  391 

•  3M 
397 


400 

m 

402 
404 
405 

40» 
410 
4I« 

414 
4U 

'45 


^[ 


'*'', 


